Orlando fire station battles bedbug infestation

ORLANDO, Fla. — They're usually busy fighting fires and saving lives, but some Orlando first responders are tied up in a very different battle against bed bugs.

Fire Station 6 near Orlando Executive Airport is dealing with a major bed bug infestation.

The Fire Department is taking aggressive action to keep the pests out of other stations and even homes.

The first thing to do with a bed bug infestation is to throw away mattresses, which the Fire Department has done.

The "no trespassing" sign clearly didn't apply to the bed bugs that have invested the mattresses on the other side of the fence.

They were thrown out this weekend, after officials learned the pests had taken over the dorm, even biting at least one firefighter.

An email went out 12 hours after the 11 firefighters who work there noticed they weren't alone.

Firefighters have been given the option to sleep in their personal vehicles until officials are absolutely certain the bed bugs are gone, and that isn't easy.

Bed bugs are tiny. Fifteen adult-sized bugs can fit on the surface of a dime.

Since firefighters often go from station to station, the city is now checking for bugs at its 16 other stations and telling its personnel to check for bugs at home.

Firefighters use their own bedsheets during shifts. Experts say it'll be nearly impossible to determine whether firefighters introduced bedbugs to the dozens of places they answered calls at this weekend.

Fire Station 6 was expected to get new mattresses Monday and officials were expected to meet Monday to make sure the bedbugs have not spread to any other fire stations.

WFTV