The Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG, Mass. — A matter of minutes is the difference between life and death during a fire, Fitchburg Fire Capt. Brian Belliveau said.
“That’s why thermal cameras are so important to the Fire Department,” Belliveau said, as he met with Fitchburg-based Workers’ Credit Union officials to thank them for their support in purchasing a new thermal-imaging camera for the department.
Workers’ Credit donated $1,000 to purchasing a new camera, as the Fire Department works toward putting new thermal Bullard T-4 Max cameras on every front-line apparatus trucks.
“When we enter a fire, the smoke can be so extreme that we are basically blinded,” Belliveau said. “We want to get in, be quick and find anyone in the building. ... These cameras can mean the difference in quickly finding a baby or child in a burning fire when time is of the essence. ... The cameras are night and day.
“When I think of these cameras, I think of an incident on Christmas Eve in 1987,” he added. “We were searching for a young child in a fire, but the smoke was so bad that we were forced to search on our hands and knees because you just couldn’t see ... and unfortunately by the time we got to the child, it was too late.”
Bank officials are honored to donate to such a worthy cause in the community, said David Rogers, senior vice president of Workers’ Credit Union.
“As a member of the community, we are always trying to give back to support worthy causes in the city, and when we heard about the thermal-imaging cameras, we were delighted to get involve,” Rogers said.
Businesses or residents interested in donating to the Fitchburg Fire thermal-imaging camera fund are urged to mail donations to the Fitchburg Fire-EMS Equipment Fund at 33 North St., Fitchburg.
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