Tools of the Trade

The following pages describe some of the tools firefighters use to perform their various duties. Fire trucks generally have lots of compartments to store these tools. Tools must be routinely check to to ensure they are working properly. It is also important that firefighters know where each tool is so that they can be retrieved quickly when they are needed.

Thermal Imaging Camera - This special camera allows firefighters to see in a completly dark room. It detects heat so no visible light is needed. The camera's primary use is searching for people in burning buildings, but it has an unlimited number of secondary uses. Some of these include searching for fires hidden behind walls or locating overheating electrical outlets.

Without Thermal Imaging

With Thermal Imaging. As you can see the hotter the image is the lighter it is and the colder the image is the darker it is.