Now the department has its own fiscal fire to put out.

With the rising cost of operations and the high cost of firefighting equipment, village officials are concerned about the future of the department. Vehicles and gear need to be replaced within the next three to five years, and it is unclear how the village will pay for it.

The National Fire Protection Association reissued its “NFPA 1500,” a national code of standard for decontaminating gear, in response to the cancer crisis, Tyson said.

“Although these are considered standards, the reality is many fire departments say they are guidelines and don’t follow them.”

Skyland and Asheville fire departments, however, are falling in line. Cole said all firefighters must now do a quick decontamination as soon as they clear a fire, using baby wipes to clean their faces, heads, hands and necks, hosing off their uniforms, and bagging them up for the ride back in the truck.

Once back at the station, uniforms – pants and coat weighing about 50 pounds – are placed in an “extractor,” basically a commercial grade washing machine and dryer, before a firefighter can wear them again. The drawback is time – it can take four hours to clean one set. Cole said he hopes to have a second set for everyone within five years.