Cres Cor Health & Safety Blog

Bring Home Pride Not Pests

Written by Zoe Blank | Jun 23, 2026 1:51:43 PM

Protecting Firefighters and Their Families from Hidden Bed Bug Risks

Firefighters expect exposure to smoke & hazardous environments. What many don’t expect is bringing pests like bed bugs back from a call.

As medical & residential responses continue to rise, crews frequently enter environments where bed bugs & other biological hazards are present (but not seen). These pests easily hitch a ride on turnout gear, bags, & equipment, traveling from the scene to the apparatus, station, & even home.

Pests & vectors such as ticks, fleas, & mites can carry bacteria & pathogens linked to illness, skin infections, & secondary contamination within stations & homes. Without proper decontamination, these unseen hazards spread wherever gear & equipment go.

What starts as a single exposure can quickly become a station-wide problem.

 

How Pests Spread

Bed bugs cling to fabrics, seams, & hard surfaces, making everyday equipment a common carrier, including:

  • Turnout gear & PPE
  • SCBA masks
  • Jump bags & medical equipment
  • Radios, tablets & cell phones
  • Tools & shared equipment

Once inside a station, pests can spread rapidly through bunk rooms, lockers, other vehicles and even the kitchen (yuk!), leading to costly remediation & operational disruption.

 

A Simple, Chemical-Free Solution

Cres Guard Biological Decontamination systems from Cres Cor Health & Safety help departments reduce contamination risks quickly, consistently, and without chemicals or downtime.

Cres Guard Moist Heat uses controlled heat & humidity to treat turnout gear & PPE, achieving up to 99.9999% reduction of microorganisms under validated conditions.

Cres Guard UVC + Heat uses germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect electronics & moisture-sensitive equipment, delivering up to 99.99% reduction of viruses & bacteria in as little as 15 minutes.

Together, they provide a practical way to decontaminate both gear & daily-use equipment after exposure.

 

Protect What Matters Most

A consistent decontamination process helps departments:

  • Reduce pest & biological cross-contamination
  • Protect station living spaces
  • Support firefighter health & wellness
  • Prevent bringing contaminants home to families

Simple, repeatable decontamination helps turn exposure risk into a controlled process. Because what you encounter on the job needs to be defeated before it can spread.

 

Bring Home Pride. Not Pests.

Cres Guard helps firefighters return home with confidence, knowing unseen risks have been addressed before the shift ends.

 

For more information, contact Yogesh Ramadoss at Cres Cor Health and Safety.

Email: yramadoss@crescor-hs.com

Phone: 440-350-1100 Ext: 370

Cell: 216-650-2295