Mutual Aid Fire

With all the talk of swine flu lately 1st responders tend to forget the other infectious foe…

Yes what about MRSA? After reading a story in the latest International Firefighter magazine, I come across a interesting passage in an article about “The hidden dangers of infectious disease”.

The qoute said…” In Tuscon Az., tests by Reynolds(One of the researchers at the University of Arizona doing the MRSA study) in 2008 proved that firefighters were surrounded by MRSA. Researchers took 200 samples from nine Firehouses and the one item most covered in MRSA bacteria turned out to be a bit surprising…couches!

Thats because fabric traps bacteria, says Reynolds. Vinyl couches are more practical because bacteria can’t settle into vinyl like it settles into a porous, fabric surface, and vinyl is easier to clean.

Desks and classroom equipment were also covered in bacteria. Reynolds detected MRSA on 7% of ALL surfaces within the Fire Stations—more than double the amount she discovered after similar tests in hospitals, where 3% of surfaces had MRSA(WOW!). 7% is higher than we see in other environments Reynolds notes.”

(Reynolds is an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona and co-auther of a study to be released later this year on the prevalence of MRSA in Tuscon Fire Stations)

With that being said let us not grow weary of keeping our houses clean, lest we forget our silent enemy lurking in the couch…MRSA!!!

Now go take a bath dirtball!