Grant provides new camera gear
The Charleston Fire Department purchased cameras and camera equipment with a grant received from FM Global for $1,700.
FM Global is a global commercial and industrial property insurer based in Rhode Island, which gives out quarterly fire prevention grants to fire departments and other organizations throughout the world.
Captain Steve Bennett, who works on fire prevention methods, applied the department for the grant specifically to purchase the cameras.
“Any time we have a fire, we have to do an investigation into the legal aspects,” Bennett said. “We need to document the scene and how things were found. This helps us determine how the fire was started.”
With photographic proof, the department will be able to capture evidence to save on file.
The cameras will also be used during pre-fire planning.
“We can actually walk through businesses in town and see how the business is set up,” Bennett said. “We will be able to document where the water shutoffs are and where electrical wires are in the case that there is an emergency there.”
This information can be put into a computer software program used in the fire trucks called “Firehouse.”
This program does all the department’s fire reports, ambulance reports and has the ability to lay out pre-fire plans.
When an emergency occurs at a certain business, the business can be typed into the program located on the laptops in the fire trucks and the data collected will be available to the firefighters.
Most of the departments in the area have at least one camera; however, Bennett said he wanted a camera in most of the fire vehicles to be of convenience if Fire Chief Pat Goodwin, who has the camera, is not available.
“We were actually able to stretch our money and purchase four Canon PowerShot 10-megapixel cameras,” Bennett said.
In addition to the still cameras, cases, memory cards, a lens and flash for Goodwin’s camera and a camcorder were also purchased.
The still cameras have been put in the various fire department vehicles.
Two in fire engines, one in a rescue truck and one in an ambulance, Bennett said.
Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 581-7942 or
Grant provides new camera gear
Charleston Fire Department Station 1 on 10th street sits quietly, yet always prepared, Wednesday evening. The department received a $1,700 grant from FM Global that provided it with money to purchase cameras and camera equipment. According to Captain Stev
