VIDEO: The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) has become the first fire department in the country to develop an in-house fire gear cleaning system.
IFD said “Project Washout” integrates advanced ozone technology with comprehensive gear maintenance, management and repair.
On Wednesday, IFD Chief Ernest Malone unveiled the new system which fire officials said “was created for the sole purpose of better protecting our suppression personnel and implementing cancer preventive initiatives, to help fight the unseen enemies our personnel face every day, including COVID19.”
IFD explained the new process uses ArtiClean Ozone, which provides firefighters with hospital-grade sanitation and cancer carcinogen removal, which was only previously available through outsourcing.
“The idea of putting a gear washer in every fire station was quickly identified as too costly and for some stations, not logistically possible,” fire officials said.