VIDEO: Fire departments across the Valley say they're making big changes in order to prevent crew members from getting cancer.
Fire Captain Kyle Carman with the Tempe Fire Department says crews are not only using wipes to clean off their skin immediately after fighting a fire, but they also have buckets in every truck that they fill with water and soap to scrub down everything they're wearing.
"Once we scrub it all down, we bag it up and send it in for cleaning," Carman said.
While it's being cleaned, crew members also now have a second set of gear to wear when going on another call. Carman says not long ago, that was unheard of.
"A hood covered in soot was kind of a cultural badge of honor," Carman said. Another change, is the room where they store their gear. It used to be wide open, but they've since added walls, a door and a ventilation system so crews aren't breathing in any left over chemicals.