By FireRescue1 Staff
BAYONNE, N.J. — A fire department is the first in the state of New Jersey to equip every on-duty firefighter with thermal imaging cameras.
The Jersey Journal reported that the Bayonne Fire Department now has 24 new thermal imaging cameras, and Chief Keith Weaver hopes the technology will “speed up the search for any trapped victims, and certainly save a life in the future.”
The cameras use infrared energy to detect temperature differences in heavy smoke.
“This enables everybody on-duty to see,” Chief Weaver said. “Now every firefighter will be able to see in a heavy smoke condition, which will increase their safety and increase their efficiency in searching buildings and removing any trapped occupants.”
Officials said the city previously only had enough cameras to equip each captain on a rig, which meant the captain had to lead the other firefighters through fire conditions.
“The captains had the old ones and we would follow his direction; we’re usually right with him, looking at his camera, while he tells us where to shoot the water,” firefighter Brian Bomba said. “Now that we all have these, we’ll be able to see what he sees.”
The older cameras will now be used by truck drivers who will be prepared to enter fire conditions if the situation arises.
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