By Azana Carr

Correspondent

The four volunteer fire departments in Suffolk recently received new thermal imaging cameras from the Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue.

The announcement was made at a department meeting that the Suffolk Fire Department was buying a shipment of 20 new thermal imaging cameras. It was settled then that each of the volunteer departments would be given one as well as appreciation for the partnership and dedication they offer.

With that came a sense of relief to Charles Brothers, the Whaleyville Volunteer Fire Department chief.

“We were elated,” Brothers said. “We were in the beginning stages of buying a camera ourselves, but it was a slow process to raise the money.”

The technologically advanced camera comes with a price. Each camera is worth $8,900. If the volunteer department had moved ahead with the purchase on its own, the source of the funds would be from past fundraisers and donations from the community. Fortunately, the state Virginia provided the necessary funding through its Assistance to Localities program.

The thermal imaging cameras give firefighters the ability to see through dark areas, smoke or places where heat can seep through by transforming the radiated heat into visible light. This tool gives an upper hand to rescuers searching for victims in situations where they are usually hidden from the naked eye. They can also spot smoldering fires inside a wall or detect overheating electrical wiring. These cameras are often hand held but can be fixed onto a firefighter’s helmet for better use.

A recent incident that faced the Whaleyville Fire Department was a vehicle accident in which one of the two victims was ejected out of their seat and wasn’t anywhere to be found at the scene. On site along with them was the Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue, which was able to send out a search crew with their own thermal imaging camera. “We would have sent a search crew of our own, but the accident was during the night and we couldn’t see,” Brothers said.

Although the Whaleyville Volunteer Fire Department has not had the chance to use the cameras in a live emergency, they’ve put them to use in three training activities.

In addition to supplying the cameras to the volunteer departments, the Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue has placed units on 10 fire engines, three aerial ladder trucks, a heavy rescue unit and two command vehicles.