Hot-spot camera helps crews in emergencies

The Ruakaka Volunteer Fire Brigade has a thermal imaging camera, one of only 17 in New Zealand, thanks to research by one firefighter and four generous companies.
When a drier at the Carter Holt Harvey LVL plant caught last year, it was nearly impossible to locate the heat source and "hot spots" of burning sawdust in the building's ducting system. That situation led firefighter Grant Harrington to investigations that resulted in the $22,000 camera purchase.
On Tuesday, the Ruakaka brigade formally thanked Carter Holt Harvey LVL Future Build, the NZ Refining Company, Lion Foundation Pub Charities and the camera manufacturers MSA at a lunch. Each company provided about 25 percent of the funds.
Previously firefighters had to enter a room with a hose going and start chopping into walls with axes to locate a fire. Now the firefighters can lead with the camera that looks through smoke and walls to show heat sources. The savings to homeowners are so great that one insurance company in Germany bought 90 cameras and gave them to fire brigades.
The cameras sense heat, including hand and foot prints, so they can help locate people trapped in burning buildings or thrown from cars at accidents and other search and rescue scenarios. The cameras can sense hot spots after a fire has been extinguished, so the firefighters and appliances do not have to stay on site in case there is still a hot spot that might reignite. The camera is also capable of transmitting real-time video to a "capture unit" or screen five kilometres away, enabling training or added help. Most of the other cameras in New Zealand are for military use, particularly the Navy, where they are essential for locating fires in ships at sea.
Permission from the United States State Department was required for the Ruakaka Brigade to buy the camera, which was made by Mine Safety Appliances.
The US Government wants to protect the sensor-to-screen conversion technology in particular.
The benefits to Carter Holt Harvey and the Refining Company could be substantial, and both companies were pleased to be able to contribute.
Sue Dyke, representing the refinery, said it was a pleasure to be contributing to the brigade.
Ken Hindmarsh, of MSA, said it was "good to be involved in a community like this and to help prevent fires and save lives".