New weapons in war on fire

Published 2:00 pm Saturday, July 8, 2006

The Bainbridge department touts new equipment funded by grants.

Every Tuesday night, for the sake of exercise, Bainbridge firefighters create catastrophe.

They run drills and test equipment and shear through sheets of metal that, under the force of impact, threaten to entrap even the wariest of drivers.

Thanks to grants, donations and taxpayer support, island firefighters these days are more than adequately outfitted.

“We’re always looking for the latest and greatest equipment to help us do our job,” said Glen Tyrrell, acting fire chief. “But we’re in very good shape.”

The fire department has introduced a bevy of new tools this year, including extrication equipment, thermal imaging devices and an extendable camera that allows rescue workers to peek into otherwise hidden spaces.

Still to come are two new water tenders, set to arrive in October, which will offer considerable support to an island with a lack of hydrants.

Despite the expense, firefighters say modern equipment is vital to the safety of the community.

“It’s not cheap, but it’s invaluable,” said training and safety captain Dave Dilly, of the new equipment.

As a longtime trainer, Dilly has had considerable experience with the Amkus rescue equipment, trademarked as the “jaws of life” by a competing brand. The tools free trapped victims from wreckage or other obstructions.

The Bain­bridge Island Vol­unteer Fire­fighters Association in April donated an Amkus Simultaneous Power Unit with a combination tool worth more than $20,000.

The device affords rescue workers greater flexibility because they can now use two tools at the same time.

The donation included an alternating power unit. Dilly said rescue workers now will be better equipped to respond to separate situations that occur at the same time on different parts of the island.

In addition to that, the department used a homeland security grant to purchase three additional thermal imaging devices, which detect hot spots behind walls or doors.

Like a camera, firefighters simply point the device at something and an image on the screen displays the temperature of the objects in view.

Tyrrell said thermal imaging is regularly used by police to locate fleeing criminals. In the same way the device reveals hiding places, it allows firefighters to quickly find their way to unconscious victims in a smoke-enveloped room.

The department’s new Searchcam, also purchased by the grant, serves a similar purpose. A lighted camera at the end of a pole can be maneuvered into crawl spaces or other hard-to-reach areas to alert firefighters to potentially dangerous situations. The department has four imaging devices and one Searchcam.

Perhaps the biggest boon to their efforts is yet to come in the pair of 3,000-gallon water tenders, which are being custombuilt in Oregon.

Hydrant capacity is inadequate on 40 percent of the island, making auxiliary water a necessity for firefighting efforts. Currently, the department owns two 1,800-gallon, gas-powered tenders.

“They’re sorely outdated,” Tyrrell said of the old tenders. “These will give us more water flow and will be diesel-powered.”

A levy lid lift enabled purchase of the new tenders. The cost of each vehicle will not exceed $220,000.

Tyrell said firefighters inspect and train with the new equipment regularly to increase familiarity, though they hope they never need to use any of it.

“Training is a kick,” he said. “It’s a fun night for the guys, but more importantly it gives them the skills and confidence so that when they’re under stress in a real emergency situation, things happen naturally.”