Antarctica may be one of the coldest places on the planet, but there are some brave souls who spend a year or more there to complete research projects. Although the temperatures in Antarctica can drip to a bone-chilling -50ยบ, it’s very dry. Antarctica is actually the coldest, driest and windiest continent on the planet. All of this means that firefighters are important members of Antarctica communities. Fires can start easily in the dry climate, and left unchecked they could devastate a research station. Surprisingly, firefighters still sometimes use water to put out fires. What keeps it from freezing solid in subzero temperatures? As long as the water is moving, then it has a good chance of staying liquid in the hose. In addition, firefighters wait until they're sure they are ready to open up a hose nozzle and spray down the fire. Their fire trucks also come equipped with special steel valves that won't degrade when converted seawater — which is turned into freshwater via reverse osmosis — runs through it. Firefighters at McMurdo Research Station can also use dry chemicals and foam to extinguish fires. That's especially useful when dealing with tricky fires that won't respond well to water, like grease fires or flames fed by jet fuel. Firefighters in Antarctica are professionals who must have medical and aircraft rescue training, since airplanes are a major form of transportation in the region. McMurdo, which is the largest research center on the continent, has their own fire department, which includes 46 firefighters and paramedics who respond to about 350 calls a year. Since many of McMurdo’s residents are relatively young and fit, firefighters there don’t go on as many medical calls as they would in a large city.
