Springdale Fire Department asks city for $105,000 for thermal imaging cameras

Justin Trobaugh
·1 min read

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Springdale Fire Department hopes to get new thermal cameras to help increase efficiency for the station.

The department requests from the city $105,000 to replace 18 thermal imagers from the city.

The new cameras would help locate fires, people and hazardous materials. They are not able to see through walls but can help firefighters see through smoke, fog, and the dark.

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The cameras also help in low visibility environments to help the firefighters navigate different terrains.

“They allow our crews to enter an environment and have a good idea of what the relative temperature is. The gear that we use today is of super high quality. The problem is it’s so insulating that you can’t feel changes in temperature when it’s getting hot, when it’s getting critically hot to where you can be injured,” said fire chief Blake Holte.

Holte says these tools help them find victims and injured firefighters faster to get the care they need.

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