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Firefighter camera can see through smoke
January 26, 1997
Web posted at: 10:30 a.m. ESTIn this story:
From Correspondent Kathleen Koch
BETHESDA, Maryland (CNN) -- Firefighter Jeff Hearle didn't have much time. A raging fire swept over a house in Bethesda, and inside a victim was trapped. Thick smoke filled the air like a bank of fog rolling in.
Before heading in, Hearle put on a fire mask equipped with an innovative thermal-imaging camera that helped guide him to 40-year-old Guy Tayrien.
"I opened up that door, crawled inside, looked to my right and I saw the victim laying there," Hearle said.
Tayrien was then carried out as firefighters worked their way through the dense smoke. It is believed to be the first time in the country someone was saved using the helmet-mounted camera, known as the Cairns Iris.
Authorities hope it's a sign of things to come.
"You'll be able to see the closets where children might be hiding," Hearle said. "You'll be able to see under the bed rather than having to feel under it to see if there's anyone underneath."
Great dividends
The device generates images through a virtual reality-like camera. Hot objects, such as bodies or fire sources, stand out on the picture in bright white, while cool objects appear dark. This way, the camera enable firefighters to cut through two of their worst enemies: darkness and smoke.
(679K/16 sec. QuickTime movie)
It also lets them spot dangerous holes in floors and other potentially hazardous obstacles.
"That gives us an advantage. If a fire is in the basement, it's very important in terms of where the firefighters enter," said Peter Morris, the assistant fire chief of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Fire Squad.
Currently, 128 fire departments use the device, and at $25,000 a unit, it's a big investment. "We quite frankly were nervous when we first got the system and started using it," said Jim Master of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Fire Squad.
But it's paying off with great dividends.
"It allows (firefighters) to operate much more effectively and much more safely, and perform things which they could only do very slowly previously," said Kerry Gordon, product manager for Cairns & Brother, which makes the devices.
Related sites:
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- Information on the Cairns IRIS - from the Apple Valley Volunteer Fire Department
- Cairns IRIS Fire Helmet Fundraising
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