MONITORING HIDDEN HAZARDS ON THE JOB

Firefighting gear is exposed to harmful contaminants—carcinogenic chemicals from smoke, biological hazards like blood and pathogens, and physical debris from fire scenes. These hazardous materials can have an adverse effect on firefighters’ health after just one exposure. If gear is not properly cleaned, this contamination can lead to severe health risks, including cancer and infectious diseases. 

Redline Gear Cleaning provides a vital solution, ensuring firefighting gear is thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated. Working in Mobile Extraction Units® (MEUs), Redline operates on-site at fire stations and bases across 17 U.S. states, employing advanced extractors, dryers, and specialized equipment to remove dangerous substances without damaging gear. 

These MEUs rely on propane-powered tumble dryers and water heaters, but low propane levels can lead to carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, putting workers at risk. To protect its crews and enhance emergency response capabilities, Redline needed a reliable system for CO monitoring and MEU location tracking. 

According to the CDC, every year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning.

Redline approached Blackline distributor Becker First Responder Co. who recommended Blackline Safety’s cloud-connected G6 single-gas monitors for CO detection.  

G6s were installed in all 11 of Redline Gear Cleaning’s MEUs. Cloud-connected to the Blackline Live software platform, Redline is now able to remotely monitor gas levels inside each unit. Real-time high and low-gas alerts sent directly by text to monitoring personnel deliver an additional layer of protection.  

The location technology integrated in every G6 also gives Redline instant visibility during a gas event—through the live map view on Blackline Live—into where exactly each MEU is stationed, expediting incident response if needed. 

Thanks to G6, Redline gained valuable safety benefits, including: 

• Full protection: Cleaning crews are now safeguarded from exposure to CO. Plus, the MEUs are now connected across the country through the Blackline Live platform where CO levels can be remotely monitored and responded to.  

• Critical data: Through Blackline Live, Redline can easily gather insights into crew locations during a gas event, offering instant visibility and optimizing responses in case of emergency.  

• Increased productivity: CO levels serve as an early indicator of when propane tanks need to be refilled (propane tanks emit more CO when they approach low or empty). With this information, propane can be refilled in a timely and optimal manner (for example between jobs and not mid-job) to reduce operational downtime and ensure the tumble dryers and water heaters can function properly. 

• Industry-leading gear cleaning: Blackline’s technology, together with Redline’s innovative cleaning methods and equipment, sets Redline even further apart from the competition with their suite of state-of-the-art tools.