Camera ‘sees’ hot spots

GARFIELD — The newest piece of equipment for firefighters at Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department doesn’t extinguish fires but it does aid in their work. A thermal imaging camera reads the heat emitted by objects.

In a smoke-filled house, it can detect a body, which would be cooler than the surroundings, Nick Mason said.

“This is one of the best on the market,” Mason said of the camera, showing off its capabilities.

The camera will display in color or in black and white and can detect temperatures up to 1,500 degrees.

“It allows us to employ training with state-of-the-art equipment,” Mason said, adding that all firefighters will be trained to use the camera.

Once a fire appears to be extinguished, firefighters will use the camera to check for “hot spots” - places where a fire could be smoldering that might erupt in flames.

Firefighters Devin Morgan, Tyler Cray and Andrew Schacherbauer...

“We’re happy we got this. We’re still in the process of working withFiremen Subs. We have to go to one of the stores - the Rogersstore - for a PR event,” Mason said.