November 11th, 2026 Seconds Count: How New Cameras Are Changing Fire Searches
The Old Image
The New Image
The first photo is what West Jordan Fire Department (WJFD) firefighters used to see when they used a thermal camera to look for a person trapped in a fire. It was the best technology for thermal cameras… from 2006. But look at the technology now! The second photo is the new Bullard Thermal Imagers they have on each of the three fire engines and one ladder truck in the City.
“The ones we replaced used different gradients of white to show how hot something was,” WJFD Deputy Chief Chris Trevino said. “With these newer versions, the image is much more defined.”
A broad color range and crisp edge definition makes finding people a lot easier. If someone is hiding under a blanket, this camera will pick up on the temperature difference and show the outline of a person under that blanket.
“The processor is faster too,” Trevino said. “The old one, you would move too fast and you wouldn’t see what was in view.” The new ones can keep up.
Besides making a pretty picture, why do we need these cameras?
There’s a point during a burn called a “flashover.” This is when the fire in a room reaches a point where everything will ignite at once. The flashover point is deadly for whoever is in the room, even for firefighters in full gear.
Once a fire starts in a home, it can take just minutes for a room to reach a flashover point. Older homes take longer to reach flashover. Newer homes burn faster because of synthetic materials.
“Public awareness of common fire risks is critical to saving lives and drastically reducing property loss. The public needs to understand that today’s structure fires can go from a small flame to flashover in just 3 to 5 minutes, leaving little time for escape.” (U.S. Fire Administration, 2024)
That means firefighters need to move fast.
“We adjust [the camera] up, look really quick and see if we can see anybody in there,” Trevino said. “We’re moving to the next room because obviously if a building’s on fire, the smoke is toxic and will kill the occupants. We’re trying to make a hasty search of the building to ensure that everyone is evacuated.
“The biggest thing is rapid recognition of people inside a building that are in a dangerous situation.”
With fire, every second counts. These cameras are a lifesaving tool for residents and firefighters and will be ready whenever danger calls.
By Erin Dixon
