New turnout rooms for Ocean Springs Fire Department

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WXXV)- The Ocean Springs Fire Department is taking a proactive step to protect firefighter health by changing how turnout gear is stored inside the station.

Firefighters rely on their turnout gear to protect them on the job, but where that gear is stored can have serious health implications.

Did you know storing turnout gear near truck exhaust can expose firefighters to harmful diesel fumes and cancer-causing contaminants.

When that gear absorbs toxins, the danger doesn’t stop at the station. Those contaminants can travel into fire trucks, personal vehicles, homes, and even onto firefighters’ families.

That’s why the Ocean Springs Fire Department is getting new, dedicated turnout gear rooms to keep protective equipment in a clean space.

By reconfiguring existing space inside the station, firefighters now have a separate room designed specifically for turnout storge, helping reduce long-term health risks and improve overall safety.

Protecting the community starts with protecting those firefighters and this change is an important step toward that goal.