Texas Commission to Study Houston FD

Investigators from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection will turn their attention to Houston, after the firefighter’s union accused the city of failing to protect firefighters from carcinogens. According to a report from the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Fire Department (HFD) lacks the equipment necessary to deep-clean gear, and only one fire station has a diesel exhaust capture system to capture poisonous diesel fumes coming from fire trucks.

The agency's safety concerns are only worsened by its aging equipment. Just last week, a Houston FD ambulance broke down in the middle of the freeway, reports Click2Houston. Over the past few months, HFD has dealt with an increasing amount of breakdowns.

HFD has been awarded $9.8 million in grant funding over the past five years and has received $20 million in investment from the city over the past two years, but it is not enough to cover the necessary fleet and safety upgrades, reported the Houston Chronicle. To fund additional safety upgrades, HFD’s chief plans to seek funding through grants, corporate gifts, and donations.

Related: Houston Fire Chief Requests $10.9M for Annual Replacements