By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
While Spooktacular was for the kids to fill up on all the Halloween goodies, it may have been the Bucyrus Fire Department who received the best treat of all.
With the Bucyrus Fire Department’s thermal imaging camera becoming outdated, the Ohio Mutual Insurance Group of Bucyrus presented a new thermal imaging camera to the Bucyrus Fire Department Saturday in the midst of the Spooktacular. Todd Boyer of the Ohio Mutual Insuarance Group presented the new piece of equipment to Bucyrus Fire Department Chief Jay Keller at the WQEL remote during the Spooktacular. Boyer explained how the thought of the donation came about.
“About a year ago there was a fire in the Bucyrus area that the Bucyrus Fire Department responded to, and that property, it turns out, was insured by Ohio Mutual,” Boyer said. “So there was interaction in between our claims folks and the fire department personnel in the immediate aftermath of the fire, and our claims folks were invited to an after-action debriefing shortly after the fire had been fully resolved, which we found to be a very welcome thing, and very helpful in settling the claim for the fire.”
Boyer continued explaining that Ohio Mutual donated a similar piece of equipment.
“During that interaction one of the members of the claim team was talking to some members of the fire department, who indicated they had interest in obtaining this additional piece of safety equipment that in 2000 Ohio Mutual had purchased a similar piece of equipment,” Boyer continued. “Of course 16 years ago that was a much more expensive piece of equipment, and technology has improved, and cost has come down a bit in the ensuing 16 years. They were looking to replace that and be able to enhance the equipment that they carry on the vehicles of the fire department.”
After the Bucyrus Fire Department put the request in, the CEO at Ohio Mutual gave the green light for the donation to happen.
Keller was very thankful for the new equipment.
“I want to say thanks to Ohio Mutual, what an incredible business that is. They really love the community here,” Keller said.
Keller explained that the lifesaving piece of equipment will be utilized in rescue situations, and to prevent further property damage from fires.
“Starting on rescue we go into a fire and usually it is so dark in there because of the smoke, no power, you know we have our masks on,” Keller explained. “We used to have to go in and feel our way through, but this shows heat signature, with that heat signature we can go in right away and we can see where someone is with their body heat, because people do hide, people are unconscious, and this gives us the opportunity to find them quickly.
“On the property damage side we got fire hidden in the walls and stuff, this can go right through a barrier and we can see the heat signature there so we can find the fire and put it out before it destroys more of the property,” Keller added.
In the spirit of giving, Boyer hopes that the kind act to the Bucyrus Fire Department opens the doors for other businesses to give back to the community.
“We asked if there was going to be an opportunity where we could make the donation in a public way. Primarily because we find that when donations like this are made in a public way it encourages other businesses and organizations to be philanthropic as well. So the folks at the Fire Department felt that the Spooktacular would be a great venue for such a donation, and we coordinated with the radio station and that is where we stand today,” Boyer said.
Boyer added that in researching for the thermal imaging camera, he came across a mother’s testimonial on thermal imaging cameras that had been in a home fire and without her local fire department utilizing one, she would have lost her son.
With the donation of a thermal imaging camera, Boyer explained that there will now be one in each of the Bucyrus Fire Department’s vehicles.