Fighting fires in extreme cold like this can be a major challenge as frostbite is a real possibility for Southern Door firefighters. If water gets on the clothing while fighting a fire in extreme cold, that can be bad news for the firefighter. The water freezes the uniform and the person inside can get very cold very quickly. Chuck Cihlar of the Southern Door Fire Department says he’s seen other firefighters get some pretty bad frostbite and not even notice until afterward due to the adrenaline of fighting the fire.

Cihlar added that it can be hard to get to areas where the roads have not been plowed yet. In one instance they had to call a plow so they’d be able to get to a call. To prevent a fire in this extreme cold, Cihlar says you should make sure your furnace is in working order and to have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors with fresh batteries.