ARVADA, Colo. Fire crews across Colorado are gearing up to respond to emergencies amid the incoming arctic blast. Arvada fire engineer Tim Daniel enhanced his fire engine on Friday with all the necessary cold weather gear, including chains, auto socks, ice melt and kitty litter. This truck has Onspots. Theyre chains. You push a button and they drop down underneath the tires, Daniel explained.First responders must be prepared to respond in all types of weather conditions. We practice doing that even before it gets icy or snowy out, just so we can do it in a fast-paced manner. So its just extra training that we have to do to be prepared, said Arvada firefighter Bryan Attardi.A firefighters uniform is built to withstand the elements by default. Multiple layers including a moisture barrier, thermal barrier, and outer shell help keep first responders sheltered from the heat and cold.We also wear, you know, dry-wicking t-shirts or other layers, just how you would going skiing, said Attardi.Making sure everyone exits the engine safely is also crucial on icy days.Theyre high steps that we're getting out of. So we have to make sure that we're stepping out, you know, watch our footing, making sure it's not icy or deep snow or in a slushy puddle or whatever. Just making sure that we're not slipping because if we get hurt then it's hard for us to do our jobs helping other people, said Attardi.The Arvada Fire Protection District is ready to help others in a multitude of situations, including crashes due to icy roads.It's gonna be a lot of black ice. Hopefully, people stay home tonight, said Daniel.The firefighters are also prepared to respond to calls for home fires or carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper heating. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, and February. Heating equipment is involved in one in every seven home fires and one in every five home fire deaths.Sure, the weather might bring different calls in, but that's why we love doing it is to help the people, use our minds to help people and make a difference in the community, added Attardi.Here are some tips on preventing winter fires: Keep anything flammable at least three feet away from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters Keep portable generators outside, away from windows and as far away as possible from the building Make sure your carbon monoxide alarms are installed and operating normally Plug only one heat-producing appliance into an outlet at a time Make sure chimney vents are clear Store cooled ashes in a tightly sealed metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet from any building