 Fire Department Begins Fire Cam Drive (Pierre, SD) – On Wednesday, December 11, 2002 the Pierre
Kiwanis Club began a fund drive to purchase a “Fire Cam” for the Pierre Fire
Department. Kiwanis Club Immediate Past President Scott Carbonneau said “This
really provides an additional set of eyes for the firefighters that can see
things a normal set of eyes can’t see.” The club is attempting to raise $20,000 before Christmas to
help purchase two infrared cameras that are built to help firefighters find the
seat of a fire and to find their way through smoke. The cameras detect heat
rather than light and allow the firefighter to find people trapped in smoke
filled rooms. After the fire is apparently extinguished, firefighters can
use the camera to find “hot spots” that might cause a fire to re-kindle in
the future. This allows the department to be more certain that the fire is out
without unnecessary damage to the property in search of fire extension. Fire Chief Russ Hendrix said, “We can see where it is
burning yet so we can get to that area, and don’t get called back three hours
later.” The Department has been using a loaner camera for a short
time. It was used to check conditions at the house fire on Buchanan Avenue and
at a fire at Whiskey River Outpost. When the fund drive is completed, the Department plans to
buy two cameras. One, a small compact unit, will be used for initial quick
attack to allow the first-in crew to look for trapped people while determining
the source of the fire. The second camera is a larger
unit that will be used for fire overhaul (finding and extinguishing lingering
fire spots). It also has a temperature sensor that can be used to determine
whether the hot spot is a potential trouble spot. This camera has a transmitter
that can beam the picture back to the command post where a fire officer can see
what is happening inside. These pictures can also be recorded and used for
training for firefighters. "The combined cost of the two cameras is about
$27,000",
Hendrix said. Carbonneau hopes that their appeal to specific businesses in the
area will allow them to quickly raise the funds. All businesses and individuals
may contribute to the drive but there will be no door-to-door appeal.
Picture: Brad Reinke (center r), on behalf of Piper Jaffray, presents a check to Pierre Fire Department Chief Russ Hendrix (center l) to kick off a fire cam fund raising campaign. Also looking on are (l) Scott Carbonneau, Pierre Kiwanis Club Immediate Past President and (r) Greg Baker, Piper Jaffray.
Picture: Pierre City Commissioner Larry Weiss (r), presents a personal contribution for the fire cam to Fire Chief Russ Hendrix.
The cameras will be in the hands of local firefighters within a few days of ordering them, Hendrix said. “They (the people of Pierre) can all sleep better at night knowing our fire department has the best equipment possible to protect them,” Carbonneau said. Donations can be sent to: Firecam Fund c/o US Bancorp Piper Jaffray P.O. Box 1254 Pierre, SD 57501 |
Brad Reinke, on behalf of Piper Jaffray, kicked off the
campaign with a donation from that company.
A personal contribution was also made by City Commissioner
Larry Weiss to help move the project along.