Just like firefighters from around the province who rushed up to Fort McMurray to help with the fires there this spring, those in High River are concerned about the health effects of battling the blaze.

High River Fire Chief Trevor Allan says so far no one is showing any long-term effects.

"The guys have recovered very well from it. I know personally and speaking with the guys that the first week or two upon returning some of us did have a cough and raspy voices. But, we've managed to make our way through it. We did wear our PPE when we thought it was pertinent to when we were up there. I'm sure there's going to be some long-term concerns for some of the other departments that were up there as well."

Allan says it's not just the Fort Mac fire, but every fire they go to that causes him concern.

"It goes through our minds all the time, and it's something that we're constantly assessing and reassessing on the fire ground at any incident that we have the appropriate PPE and it's up to the current standards and it's protecting us the way it's designed to protect us."

Allan adds Dr. Kim Cherry will be at the Department doing testing of the crews that went north Mon. July 18 to make them part of a long-term study on possible health effects of the Fort McMurray Fire.

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