Signal 51 Group responds to keep firefighters hydrated and cooled down

In 1969, three men — an orthodontist, a pediatrician and a dental lab worker — formed a support group to show their deep appreciation and respect for firefighters.

Fifty-six years later, although those men are deceased, their deep appreciation and respect lives. That’s because of the 14 men and women who are members of Signal 51 Group.

“Our primary mission is at all major fire scenes and other fire department-related scenes, to provide firefighter rehab,” said Signal 51 Group’s president, Fred McClanahan. “That means cooldown, hydration and feeding — if necessary — at fire scenes. In the summer when it’s really hot and firefighters can get overheated very easily, we always get there to provide rehydration and cooldown — whatever it takes to get them cooled down to avoid dehydration and a trip to the hospital.”

Eight of the 14 Signal 51 Group members are on the “rehab team.” Day or night, when there is a working fire in Shreveport, someone from that team will head to the scene — just like a firefighter.

“We have fire department pagers. Some of us have fire department radios. The fire department communications division dispatches us just as they do anybody else. As soon as they receive notification of a working fire, they set off our pagers, and we respond.

McClanahan said last year, Signal 51 Group went to 311 calls from the fire department. This year, the group has responded to almost 100 calls with Shreveport’s fire department and surrounding fire districts.

“We’re pretty much on call all of the time.

It’s pretty much whomever can break away from whatever they’re doing. Most of them work, so during the day, I (McClanahan is semi-retired) tend to be more available than some. Others work odd hours, and some are ‘on’ some days and ‘off’ some days.”

With them, they bring what’s needed to give firefighters some cool relief after coming out of a burning structure.

“All of us keep ice chests cold in the back of our vehicles. I have three large ice chests in the back of my truck. One is loaded with water and Gatorade, one with just water and one with just Gatorade. Cases are already iced down. Already cold.”

But Signal 51 Group provides more than drinks.

“We have towels. We empty the cold water from the ice chests into buckets, and wet down the towels to put over their heads and around their necks to help them cool down.”

Firefighting is a 12-months-a-year job, as is the work of Signal 51 Group.

“In the summer, (our work) is very beneficial. It can make the difference between someone getting overheated to a dangerous level, and somebody not getting overheated to a dangerous level. Rehydration is super critical in the summer. … What a lot of people don’t think about is when it’s 40 degrees outside, in a burning house, it’s 350 degrees. They (firefighters) are in extreme heat; even though outside, people have jackets and coats on. They fight hot fires year round.”

McClanahan sees Signal 51 Group’s work as a ministry.

“Anytime a citizen, or anybody, goes out of their way at a fire scene — people bring water out — that’s a ministry. That shows caring.

That shows the value we have for what they do and their commitment to the public. It’s not a ministry in the sense that we pray over them, but it’s a ministry in the sense that we care for them and their well-being.”

And the name Signal 51 Group?

Staying hydrated is essential for firefighters.

“The word Signal 51 comes from back in the days when police used ‘10-4’ and all those different codes. Signal 51 was the universal code for fire and police as a fire. So, a Signal 51 was a fire in much the same way as a Signal 52 was a wreck and a Signal 53 was a wreck with injuries.”

While Signal 51 Group works with firefighters at the scene, they are not part of the Shreveport Fire Department. At least not officially.

“We are totally independent of the fire department. We are there to support them. They treat us like a partner, but they don’t have any direct control over us. We do not get any money from the fire department, but the firefighters’ union makes very substantive donations to us. We receive a lot of support, and that all comes directly from the firefighters.”

“We are incredibly grateful for the unwavering support that Signal 51 provides our firefighters,” Shreveport Fire Department Chief Clarence Reese Jr. said. “Their commitment allows our crews to stay focused, safe and resilient, while serving the community. Signal 51 is truly an extension of our firefighting family.”

That firefighting family continues to benefit from all those many years ago when the orthodontist, pediatrician and dental lab worker got together to show their appreciation and respect.

“The type person who goes into the fire service is a special kind of person,” McClanahan said. “If they’re not when they go in, they become that. I appreciate what they do to a great degree.”