By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

New equipment and needed repairs to an apparatus that will better help the Hamburg Township Fire Department protect the community have been approved.

Hamburg Fire Chief Nick Miller was before the township Board of Trustees at their most recent online meeting with a request for 4 new thermal imaging cameras. The cameras use infrared technology to allow firefighters to see hot spots through smoke, darkness, and heat-permeable surfaces. Miller told the Board that the ones they have are reaching the end of their shelf life. Three of cameras he said have bad batteries. One, he said will work fine but only for a few minutes, and another has a bad charger. Miller said these problems have been adding up and they haven’t wanted to put money into them because they trying to get them replaced. The new cameras have a different battery technology that the Chief says has drastically improved over the years.

The cameras cost roughly $6,543 each, with the township receiving a trade-in credit of $4,000 for the old cameras. The $26,172 total cost is part of their approved fiscal year budget, and has additionally been reviewed and approved by Public Safety Director Rick Duffany. Hamburg Supervisor Pat Hohl commented on how the township replaces laptops and servers every 5 years, and that going the 8 years they have on these sensitive cameras is likely stretching it.

Hohl and Miller also asked the Board for the approval of emergency maintenance that was performed on Engine 12. The Engine was suffering an oil leak and needed a new head gasket. Because the apparatus was needed in service and couldn’t be left disassembled in the shop awaiting approval, Hohl authorized the work be done. The cost of the repair was $5,209.

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved both the repair and the replacement of the cameras.