MARION COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) – Marion County firefighters are using new thermal technology to locate people and objects during fires.

SEEK Fire Pro 300 cameras use infrared technology to detect temperature changes and allow firefighters to spot people and objects in dark conditions.

“If it’s really hot behind a wall or something like that, sometimes we’ll even be able to see a hot spot through the walls,” said Don Moree, safety manager for the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department.

Moree added that cameras can also help prevent crews from becoming disoriented when working on fires.

“All of that will show up on the thermal camera, along with the silhouettes and contours,” Moree said. “We can see other firefighters, downed victims, the hose, the surrounding area, things like that.”

Each of the department’s fire engines will be equipped with a camera at all times.

Twenty-one firefighters from the Tri-Community and Columbia fire departments trained with the cameras on November 18.

Then came the opportunity to put them to good use.

“There was a fire that burned through some stuffed animals that were inside an old clothes dryer in someone’s house, and we were able to find this hot spot using our camera thermal and get that dryer out of the house to put out the fire,” Moree said.

Moree said the cameras cost the department about $500 each and purchasing them would not be possible without community donations.

“We are volunteers and not paid,” Moree said. “Again, this can be difficult. You can’t get a lot of this equipment on your own. Sometimes it’s too expensive.

“These were actually very affordable. This is why the ministry decided to purchase one for each truck.

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