Firefighters get thermal camera

The house is filled with smoke. It's almost impossible to see more than three feet in front of the respirator mask that covers your face. But you have to go in and find someone who is trying to crawl out or perhaps has been overcome by fumes.

Fortunately, you have the right tool for the job.

When that scenario plays out in the Cloverdale fire district east of Sisters, firefighters and those they serve can thank the fundraising efforts by volunteer firefighters for a thermal imaging camera that will make firefighting efforts more efficient - and could save lives.

The Cloverdale Volunteer Firefighters Association presented the district with its second thermal imaging camera at a board of directors meeting last week. According to Association President Clinton Weaver, the district now has a camera at each of the district's two stations, which means that it will be on-scene quickly at a fire.

The camera "sees" heat, Weaver explained. That means firefighters can locate victims in a dark and smoke-choked room by their body heat. They can also detect sources of fire that may not be visible to the naked eye - and also easily determine where the fire isn't.

In a structure fire, firefighters must be assured that there is no fire in the walls. The time-honored way of doing that is simply cutting into the walls, which can make damage from a fire much more extensive. The camera eliminates the need for intrusive action. It can "see" through the sheetrock, and firefighters can determine whether or not there's fire.

"If there's not fire behind the sheetrock, we don't have to tear the house apart," Weaver said.

The cameras cost $10,000 to $12,000 new, Weaver told The Nugget. The district was able to get a line on a demonstration model for $6,000. The volunteers raised the funds to make the purchase through a unique fundraiser. They purchased a commemorative Winchester model 1894 .30-30, which they sold at raffle during the Sisters Rodeo. They quickly sold out 1,500 tickets.

"We're very thankful to the community, because they bought the raffle tickets up before the Saturday evening show," Weaver said.

The district was also assisted by a corporate donation from rural insurer Country Financial, arranged by Ray Austin of Redmond.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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