The Princeton Fire Department has acquired a new high-tech gadget to help its firefighters beat the heat.
On Friday, the department received a thermal-imaging camera from the state in exchange for Princeton Borough and Township participation in the national fire-incident reporting program.
The portable, battery-powered camera — manufactured by Bullard and retailing for between $18,000 and $23,000 — detects hot spots and displays them on a small television screen.
According to Fire Chief Henry Tomasi, the device has a range of applications for firefighters, allowing them to find the source of a fire or determine how far it may have spread.
"It lets us look into walls and find the [source] of a fire, which can be very important, both in fighting the fire and in investigations," he said.
The camera can also be used by authorities on search-and-rescue missions where visibility may be hindered by darkness or smoke, Fire Chief Peter Root explained.
"With the camera, during a fire we can see right through the smoke. We can see people, we can see fire, we can see everything," Root said. "It's going to be a very important tool for us."
Firefighters used the camera for the first time last night to scan a Township house's chimney that was struck by lightning. "We wanted to see if there was any chance it could start on fire," Root explained.
The camera is one of about 900 the state purchased at a $7,695-per-unit price, Tomasi said. In the coming weeks, every department in New Jersey is slated to receive its own camera.
And according to Root, Princeton Fire Department may end up receiving as many as two additional cameras.Princeton Engine Co. 1, Engine 611 is carrying the first camera because it is frequently one of the first units to respond to a fire or other call, Tomasi said.
"We are usually the first engine out," Root added. "Five or six of our members live on this street [where the firehouse is located]."
Root said he first requested one of the thermal imaging cameras five years ago when they became available to firefighters.
"I led a campaign to get us our own camera, but they were just too expensive," he said. "Now that we have one, it's going to be a big help."
Read More
GSG approves audit, delays budget approval after ‘insufferable’ meeting
Nikki HanThe final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
The final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
Effort to restore chapel’s pews slowly progresses
Ben GoldstonHead carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Head carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Metals, molecules, and medicine: chemical biology’s influence on health and sustainability
Aanya KaseraChemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.
Chemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.