Although many people typically visit a sauna for rest and relaxation, a Phoenix fire station has installed one to help its own firefighters recover. Since firefighters can be exposed to a variety of toxins while battling a blaze, the sauna heat helps to open pores and allows firefighters to get rid of toxins, smoke and soot that lands on their skin during fires.    

Phoenix Fire Captain Rob McDade said, “You could smell that fire on you, even after multiple showers, a couple days later. Folks are telling us now, at Fire Station 5, that they don’t smell those toxins the next day.”

Dry saunas can also have a variety of other health benefits for users including: better circulation, provide a boost to metabolism and increased flexibility. 

The crew at Fire Station 5 pooled their own money and bought the sauna used on Craigslist. It’s large enough to accommodate two firefighters for up to 15 minutes at a time in the sauna.

“We hope that we’re on the right track,” McDade said, “and maybe someday this will be in every fire station.”