Having a higher level of fire protection and emergency services is vital to the growth of a community. In Anadarko, the Fire Department has long benefitted from having the Delaware Nation headquartered in town. Tribal generosity over the years has helped fund life-saving pieces of fire equipment, including the two recent purchases of a thermal imaging camera and brush truck.
One piece of equipment that has become essential to firefighters is the thermal imaging camera. The Delaware Nation provided funds that enabled the department to purchase the camera and it instantly became a must-have tool.
The camera’s heat-sensing capability allows firemen to see through smoke and quickly detect people or pets who may be trapped in fires. “Without the use of this technology, [time] to find a victim would be triple at a minimum,” estimates Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Sanders.
The camera is also used in rescue situations. Following a car accident, firemen use the camera to get a heat signature off of the seats. This gives an indication of how many people were in the vehicle at the time of the accident and helps them with their searching.
The brush truck was purchased through dollars donated by the Delaware Nation. It began as a 2018 Ford C-550 cabin chassis and was upfitted to include a specialized lift kit, water tank and bigger tires.
The addition of the lift kit and tires enables the truck to quickly travel across rough terrain and through sand and mud during wildfire season. Along with the 500-gallon water tank and 15-gallon foam tank, it provides firefighters with the ability to stop fires more quickly and save property.
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