A generous donation to a Minnesota fire department will be used for an infrared sauna. (
Read more below.
) So, why would firefighters need an infrared sauna?
Steve Kleven, from Tubs of Fun, joins IT2 to explain.
Hugh and Julie Thibodeau honored for their contribution to the Roseville, MN Fire Department. Photo: City of Roseville, MN
The story behind our story:
Couple donates infrared sauna to Roseville Fire Department
ROSEVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) – Thanks to a generous couple in Roseville, Minnesota, the local fire department has a new life-saving tool.
Hugh and Julie Thibodeaux are long-time supporters of both fire and police in Roseville, and their financial donation made it possible for the department to build an infrared sauna.
New research shows sweating can help release dangerous toxins they build up in their bodies from fighting fires.
“Firefighters are about two-and-a-half times more likely to get just about every type of cancer you can get versus the general public,” said Dave Brosnahan.
Exposure to toxins and contaminants when fighting fire is a big factor in hundreds of firefighters across the country being diagnosed with cancer.
Roseville Assistant Fire Chief Dave Brosnahan says his department is thankful two members of the community donated a state of the art infrared sauna to help mitigate the effects of exposure to toxins.
“Both the Thibodeaux’s have been fantastic. For us, it means a lot for us and I think it means a lot to the firefighters for them to see someone from our community that cares about how we are in our health and us as people,” said Brosnahan.
The sauna is one part of Roseville’s cancer prevention program that includes expanded medical exams and a special washer and dryer that extracts the toxins from their gear.
(Amy Iler & JJ Gordon are talk-show hosts at 790 AM KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. “It Takes 2 with Amy & JJ” can be heard weekdays 11am-2pm. Follow Amy on Twitter @AmyKFGO. Follow JJ on Twitter @JJGodon701.)
