Firefighter Safety/Thermal Cameras

[cwerner]

With firefighting being as hazardous as it is, we need to make use of every technology possible. While we may not know in any of the recent cases, we do know from past experiences that the Thermal cameras can make a difference.

An important note, a bill introduced to congress (H. R. 1839), the "Access to Thermal Imaging Cameras Act," which would authorize $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make grants to fire departments for the acquisition of thermal imaging cameras. The Grants would be awarded on a competitive basis to fire departments and each department must match 33 percent of the grant.

IN ORDER FOR DEPARTMENTS TO HAVE FUNDING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY, EVERYONE NEEDS TO WRITE TO THEIR CONGRESS REPS AND TELL THEM TO GET IT MOVING. IF YOU NEED HELP IN LEARNING HOW TO CONTACT THEM, VISIT THE CONGRESSIONAL FIRE SERVICE INSTITUTE AT WWW.CFSI.ORG!!! DO IT TODAY.

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[S. Cook]

[This message has been edited by S. Cook (edited June 06, 1999).]

[S. Cook]

So how many imagers will this $100 million buy the fire service?

- nearly 7500 at $20,000 each and,
- 10,000 at $15,000 each

with the department kicking in 1/3 of the cost.

If you can keep the bureaucrats out of it, $100 million is a good start.