Biloxi Fire Department debuts gear carrier

Firefighters in the Biloxi Fire Department have a new and unique way to keep safe after responding to fires.

- firefighters in the biloxi fire- department have a new and uniqu- way to keep safe after- responding to fires.- news 25's grant chighizola give- us a tour of the department's - gear carrier.

- - exposure to harmful - carcinogens is just one of the- many things biloxi- firefighters have to keep in- mind while responding to- fires.- sot-david williams, battalion - chief-biloxi fire - department- "cancer's a big thing for us, s any little step that we can tak- to combat, to get - these guys out of this soiled - gear, out of this cancer gear,- is what we try to do."

Enter a restored 1982 chevy van- the department transformed- into a gear carrier.- standup - "the repurposed van has a sealed-off area for dirty - equipment, as well as another - compartment with fresh equipmen- for firefighters."

Sot-david williams- "this responds to a fire, there's new sets of gear, each- firefighter is given a- new set of gear to wear the res- of the shift."

Veteran firefighters like - captain william wiley say this- van allows crews to better- - - - respond to modern fires.- sot-william wiley, captain- - biloxi fire department- "most fires are not just basic fires.

Fires are hedged towards- a lot of harmful, really- combustible material."

After nearly 30 years of- previous service to the - department and responding to- three fires in the first month- - - - in it's new role, department- officials say this vehicle will- continue to serve first - responders for years to come.

- sot- david williams - "we'll keep getting new gear as the years come along to replace- the gear that's on their- now, so you know firefighters i- the future won't have to worry- about cancer as - much as we do now.- at station one in biloxi, grant- chighizola, news 25.-