Thermal Imaging Cameras Granted To Lake Forest Fire Department

LAKE FOREST, IL – The Lake Forest Fire Department has received a grant from ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to replace and buy more thermal imaging cameras as part of the Powering Safe Communities program, which awarded grants of up to $10,000 to more than two dozen municipalities in Illinois. It's the third year of the program, and this year it has increased the total amount of money distributed as well as the number of projects supported. Lake Forest's $5,369 grant will allow its fire department to conduct emergency searches more rapidly and maximize the number of survivors. Thermal imaging cameras can also prove to be a vital tool in the identification of live power lines, especially during severe weather.

Lake Forest Fire Department Deputy Chief Kevin Cronin told Patch the cameras are not only useful for locating victims quickly in fire situations, but can also be used for quickly identifying the seed of fires, overheated electrical sockets and isolating burning smells. He said the department currently has three thermal imaging cameras in service, but it is not sure how many more newer cameras the grant will allow the department to purchase.

"We have not decided on which ones to purchase," Cronin said. "Evaluation is still going on." Recently, Lake Forest firefighters has been testing out various models at the Lake Bluff fire tower, Cronin said.

"Keeping our communities safe is ComEd's number one priority, and therefore, we knew it was essential to expand the program this year in order to help communities maximize the impact of their public safety initiatives," said ComEd Senior Vice President Fidel Marquez. "All of the municipalities receiving grants through this program have proposed innovative ideas to help enhance safety for the people they serve. We commend them for championing this important effort," said Marquez. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Lake Forest — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, a regional council of governments that fosters collaboration to improve the quality of life for communities in the region, will administer the Powering Safe Communities grants, which offer additional resources to provide municipalities ways to improve the efficiency and delivery of public safety programs, address unmet safety needs and increase community resiliency. All applications were reviewed by the Mayors Caucus, which awarded grants of up to $10,000 were offered to 25 of the most innovative, impactful, and essential public safety projects.

"Municipal governments throughout the area are resourceful in their efforts to keep their communities safe," said Fox River Grove Mayer Bob Nunamaker, executive board chairman of the Mayors Caucus. "We applaud the tireless work of our public servants who are dedicated to assuring the safety and well-being of their community members."

_{Top photo: A U.S. Air Force firefighter crew chief using a thermal imaging camera to search for fire hotspots during an exercise in 2013 | Photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Morgan}