Detecting hot spots

The Ballan Fire Brigade have taken possession of their Brigade owned Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) and used it in a recent housefire at 34 Inglis Street Ballan.
A piece of specialist equipment, the device detects heat emissions, hot spots in bush and house fires, assists with search and rescue and hazmat incidents.
Irene Keating (CFA District 15 Brigade Admin Support Officer) said the TIC will be an essential tool for the Brigade, especially for first responders to a variety of situations.
“The TIC will empower the brigade to make accurate and timely temperature predictions and have advanced warning of thermal related dangers such as hotspots in wildfires and underground fires; people trapped in areas of low visibility and faulty electrical equipment or wiring. The TIC will also give firefighters the confidence to identify the dangers of the presence of hot gases or other thermal risks prior to entering buildings,” she said.
Ms Keating said volunteer firefighters having the added security of relevant and accurate data from a TIC, can confidently ensure that wildfires and underground fires are completely extinguished.
“…knowing that it is unlikely that they will be paged to respond to the same fire due to any re-ignition.”
The acquisition of the TIC valued at over $12,500 was made possible through CFA’s Enhancing Volunteerism Grants Program (EVGP).