By Jalen Maki
Tomahawk Leader Editor
TOMAHAWK – A recent donation from Trig’s to the Tomahawk Fire Department (TFD) will go towards purchasing equipment that could help save lives.
On Wednesday, Aug. 2, representatives from Trig’s stopped by TFD to make a $10,000.00 contribution to help the department buy thermal imaging cameras.
Thermal imaging cameras allow firefighters to see through smoke and low-light conditions, monitor how a fire is spreading and quickly locate people trapped in a fire.
TFD already had several thermal imaging cameras, but only enough to outfit the department’s officers with them. The donation from Trig’s will go towards the purchase of 19 additional units – enough for each firefighter to carry one.
Trig’s Tomahawk Store Director Melanie Juedes and Trig’s Director of Operations Terry Tryggeseth, as well as Kindl Furtak, Director of Marketing and Communication for T.A. Solberg, were joined by several Tomahawk firefighters at TFD for last week’s donation.
Noting that safety is a high priority, firefighter and TFD Secretary Melissa Nieman said the cameras will help in interior firefighting situations, assisting firefighters in locating fires. Nieman added that using the handheld cameras to locate fires more quickly will ultimately help limit structural damage for homeowners.
TFD Chief Paul Winter said he is “very, very grateful to Trig’s for their donation,” which will allow the department to “put personal thermal imaging cameras in every firefighter’s pocket.”
“They’re extremely useful, not only trying to find victims in a fire, but in the event somebody were to get lost or have a difficult time seeing in smoky conditions,” he explained. “They’re able to see perfectly clear with these devices, and it could get somebody out of some pretty serious trouble.”
Winter noted that firefighters also use the cameras to locate hotspots, which are hidden in walls.
“It’s an incredibly valuable resource for us,” Winter said.
Furtak said Trig’s is “really excited to make this donation to the Tomahawk firefighters.”
“We feel like this is much-needed equipment that’s going to help both with rescuing potential victims in fires, but also to help them to put fires out more quickly (and) to keep the firefighters safe,” Furtak stated. “These are such important people in our community. They do so much for us, so we’re really happy to be able to give back.”
