The Fire Services Journal of Canada, September/October 2003
Fundraising for Thermal Imagers in Canada: Five Success Stories
By Rebecca Scholer

Thermal imagers fundamentally change the way firefighters do their work. When used effectively, this technology can save lives, preserve property and help keep firefighters safe on the job. Because thermal imagers are still relatively expensive, fire department leaders often are intimidated by the thought of finding the necessary funds for these purchases. Despite the hurdles, fire departments throughout Canada have quickly and effectively managed external fundraising drives and campaigns to win over city councils. This article brings together some of the best fundraisers in Canada to share what worked in their departments.

The Abbotsford Fire Department has three thermal imagers, purchased over the course of three years from the department’s budget. By strategically distributing these TIs throughout this city of 125,000, the department is able to have all three imagers at every working structure fire. Capt. Dean Larivee, the department’s training officer, was involved in selling the technology to the department board.

“I told them that about 30 years ago, a few gentlemen came along and invented a device that allows firefighters to breathe in the smoke: the SCBA,” he recounted. “And about 25 years later, someone recognized that the military technology of thermal imaging could be used in the fire service, and a device was invented that allowed us to see. Now we have the perfect attack combo: we can see and breathe in smoke.”

Capt. Larivee says his justification for thermal imagers involved explaining the advantages of the technology in finding fires, keeping firefighters safer on the job and rescuing trapped people. “With the help of thermal imagers, firefighters aren’t out as long on each call, and they’re not as susceptible to injury,” he said. “Rather than surrounding and drowning a burning structure, we establish the origin point quickly, expose the fire and knock it down. We end up with a safer, better-responding fire department.”

The department’s first thermal imager proved its worth soon after it was purchased. At 1:30 a.m. on February 25, 2000, Abbotsford firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at a strip mall on the west side of the city. When they arrived, heavy white plumes of smoke furled above the three businesses that were housed in the building. A neighbor near the strip mall had spotted the smoke coming from the building and phoned 911.

Two teams of firefighters were sent into the building -- one to the main floor and another to the upper floor. Equipped with their TI, the team on the main floor easily navigated their way through the smoke-filled building, scanning the rooms as they went. When they reached one of the offices within Dew Drop Donuts, they scanned the floor and saw a brilliant white spot. Acting Capt. Neil Varrault was on the scene that night, and said that the TI helped firefighters quickly determine that the fire had originated in the basement, and it helped them avoid putting themselves in danger.

Capt. Larivee noted that the use of the thermal imager at this fire greatly increased firefighter safety. “We didn’t have to put our guys into a situation that may have led to injury,” Larivee said. “If they didn’t have this tool, they would have been crawling from room to room through the heavy smoke. And it’s quite possible that one of the firefighters would have fallen through the floor.”

Assistant Chief Mike Helmer of the Abbotsford Fire Department is currently working with the Abbotsford Lions Club to purchase a fourth thermal imager that will be placed with the rapid intervention team. Chief Helmer says a tight department budget pushed the department to seek a partnership to raise the money required. Chief Helmer first approached the Lions Club when he spoke at one of their meetings in April 2003. The two organizations are now working as partners to plan an event in October that features local country music entertainers, a dinner, and a silent auction. Their aim is to raise $20,000 in one night.

“Civic clubs are great partners because they want to help their communities,” he said. “Our mission and goals are very similar. And what better way to help them than through one of your emergency services.”

Asked to give advice for other departments forming partnerships with civic clubs, Chief Helmer noted the importance of clear communications and defined roles. “We involved a team of people and started delegating from the word go. Everyone has specific roles, and we meet monthly. Getting information first-hand means less communication breakdown.”

Fundraising Tip: Don’t attempt to do everything yourself. Build a team, and assign responsibilities to team members. Use the individual skills and talents of team members to plan and carry out your campaign. Consider teaming up with a civic club to raise money.

Caption: Classical music concert along the shore of Georgian Bay, Ontario. Photo courtesy of Le Gout de Vivre.

Departments with the motivation to raise a large amount of money in a very short time should talk with leaders of the Township of Tiny Fire Department on the southern shore of Georgian Bay in Ontario. The residents of Cedar Ridge subdivision in Township of Tiny originally came up with the idea of a classical music concert and dinner at the bayside residence of Toronto businessman Andrei Manoukovski, and they targeted the Township of Tiny Fire Department to receive funds from the benefit. The purchase of a thermal imager was the department's primary objective. For approximately eight weeks, the fire department worked hand in hand with the residents of Cedar Ridge and the Lafontaine Women's Auxiliary (LWA) to plan the event and sell tickets.

LWA Recording Secretary Angele DesRoches was involved in planning the event. “We sold tickets for $150 a couple, and we originally expected about 200 people," she noted. "We had to cap it off at 350... we actually had to turn away 50 to 60 people who wanted to attend."

Guests to the event arrived between 5 and 5:30 p.m., to a parking service, with firefighters driving them in golf carts from their vehicles to the Manoukovski home. After signing in, guests participated in a social hour with wine and cheese, followed by brief presentations by organization leaders involved in the event. Under the leadership of Mark Skazinetsky, the Toronto Chamber Orchestra, comprised of 16 strings and an oboist, played from 6 to 7 p.m. As the meal was being set up, event coordinators held an auction of 12 to 15 items that had been donated by area businesses and residents. Auction items included original paintings, a fishing cruise, a weekend trip, a dirt bike, and a DVD/VCR.

The evening was completed with a full service meal of beef, salmon, salads, pies, and squares. Large homemade salads, fresh baked pies and squares were donated by the Lafontaine Women's Auxiliary (and their friends and family members).

Fire Chief Jim Sawkins was a part of the team that planned the event. “The weather cooperated, and the Toronto Chamber Orchestra gave a fantastic performance,” he said. “The event was set up on Andrei and Tatiana’s back lawn, overlooking Georgian Bay, and there was a light breeze that night. The food was fantastic, and there was plenty of it… I was somewhat overwhelmed by how fast and professionally it was put together, and how it unfolded that evening,” he said. “It went off without a hitch.”

Near the sign-in table, Rick Browning of M&L Supply worked with Chief Sawkins to demonstrate the thermal imager to people who were interested in learning more about the technology. Chief Sawkins believes that the auction and raffle were more successful because people had been able to see the equipment as they were coming in. Prior to the concert, the department had collected $42,000, and another $10,000 was collected during the event. “The results far exceeded my original expectations,” Chief Sawkins said. “We started with a goal of $20,000 to buy a thermal imager, and we ended up with around $40,000 after expenses.”

Asked to give tips to other departments raising money, Chief Sawkins noted the importance of finding a unique event that appeals to potential donors, pointing out that this was key to quickly drawing the interest of community members. He also mentioned the importance of the many leaders and workers who planned and carried out the event.

“The whole fire department rallied to make this happen. Firefighters from other stations were covering for Station #1 since they were working at the event. Andrei and Tatiana picked up the torch and carried it, and the women’s auxiliary got people in motion,” he said.

Last, Chief Sawkins said it’s very important to thank people who contributed time and money to making your event happen. “Just make sure you don’t forget to thank anyone: whether they gave time, materials or money.”

Fundraising Tip: Be sure to spend the time up-front to plan an approach that motivates your audience. Hold regular meetings to establish goals and make assignments, and work as a team to carry out your plan. Fundraising events are a great way to raise money, generate awareness, and involve the community in your campaign. Be sure to include a thermal imaging demonstration, regardless of the approach you choose.

Fire Chief Ian Graham of Durham and District Volunteer Fire Department in Ontario approached fundraising by spending several weeks presenting business cases to more than a dozen community groups. Chief Graham’s effectiveness hinged on his hands-on demonstrations of thermal imaging, with a borrowed a thermal imager from M&L Supply (a Bullard TI distributor).

“I shut the lights off so the room was pitch black,” Chief Graham said. “Then I asked people to imagine being in a strange room, with heat, smoke and crackling sounds. I wandered around and showed individuals what firefighters can see with a thermal imager… and hat in hand, I asked for donations.”

Chief Graham says none of the groups turned him down. Donations to the department ranged from $50 given by the Catholic Women’s League to $6,000 given by the Royal Canadian Legion. Within a period of three months, Chief Graham’s community presentations had netted the department $9,000 to put toward their thermal imager. The Durham and District Firefighters Association matched this amount with dollars they had raised through lottery tickets sold through convenience stores.

“They (association members) were so keen on the technology. They knew what it could do, and they jumped right on board,” Chief Graham said. “The expenditure was beyond the council’s operating budget, so it was right up their alley.”

The remainder of money required to buy a TI was borrowed from the municipality and will be paid back with Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) dollars after appropriations are made. (The department appealed for this funding through Emergency Management Ontario.) Durham and District VFD purchased its thermal imager in the spring of 2002, and since then, Chief Graham says this new tool has proven its value time and time again. One of the most frequent uses has been locating people at night who have been thrown out of vehicles. Chief Graham described one incident on August 21, 2003, that proved the value of thermal imaging to everyone on scene.

“During a violent lightning storm, a tree had knocked down a large power line. We pulled out our camera and were able to see the electrical field on the road,” he explained. “It was a three-phase 75,000-volt line, lying in the ditch, and the electrical field was about 30 feet wide. Had we let a firefighter go in the area, he would have been electrocuted. Seeing something like that really drives it home, when you can pull out a thermal imager and look at it… an invisible field that you can now see. We could easily show the firefighters, "If you step here, you’re dead."

Fundraising Tip: Realize that the average person has no idea of what it is like to fight a structure fire. They envision firefighters running into a structure, seeing lots of fire and encountering minimal smoke. A critical part of your campaign is to educate potential donors on the realities of firefighting. Your demonstration must enable community leaders, media members and potential donors to see for themselves how thermal imagers can positively impact the work your firefighters perform. Whether you use simulated smoke or a dark room, the key is to give participants the opportunity to experience the feeling of being blind, and having their sight returned with a thermal imager.

Now Deputy Chief, Robert MacPherson of the Antigonish Volunteer Fire Department in Nova Scotia says he was a firefighter for seven years before one harrowing experience altered his view of what true firefighting was all about. In July of 1992, he was one of the firefighters searching for two children and their father who were trapped inside a burning trailer. The little boy and his father died, and the little girl spent a year in the hospital. A year after this tragic fire, Chief MacPherson was a part of the team that responded to a house fire where a woman died. And about a year after that, he was involved in another deadly fire in which a man died.

“The first incident affected me especially deeply because the kids were small. It took a while to get over, and it was hard to talk with people about it,” Deputy Chief MacPherson said. “Other firefighters tried to relate their experiences of losing a person in motor vehicle accidents, but it’s not the same as when you can’t see, and you’re trying to find a child in extreme peril.”

Chief MacPherson says that being involved in so many tragic incidents in such a short time brought thermal imaging up on his priority list. “It caused me to revisit and look at things in a different way. I analyzed a lot. When I saw the tool, I thought, ‘If it can do what it says, it means firefighters spend less time in the structure, and occupants have a much greater chance of survival.’ I asked permission from the department to set up a special fundraising account with the goal of someday getting a thermal imager, even if it took ten years.”

The first step to his successful fundraising effort was to get firefighters on board. Chief MacPherson borrowed a thermal imager from fire equipment distributor MicMac Fire, and he conducted an informal demonstration with a group of 25 volunteer firefighters in a local auditorium. “We had one of the firefighters hide in the auditorium… it was pitch dark in there, and he was standing in one of the corners. We found him immediately with the thermal imager because he stood out in a lighter color on the screen. After that, they all thought this was definitely something we want,” he recounted.

Chief MacPherson’s next stop was the Antigonish newspaper, The Casket. He made a visit to Editor Ann MacQuarrie to demonstrate the difference that thermal imaging could make in the work of the fire department. “I started by telling her about how we do a search pattern and the fact that our vision is gone because of the smoke, our sense of smell is gone because of our mask, and our hearing is hampered because of our protective equipment.”

Then Chief MacPherson took Ms. MacQuarrie into the newspaper’s darkroom with the thermal imager. After a quick one-on-one demonstration, she soon called in the entire staff of 15. While she sat in the corner, staff members individually scanned the pitch-black room to find her. The end result of this time spent with the influential local media members was a front-page article, written by Ms. MacQuarrie.

“I think it made a big difference to actually show her what the thermal imager could do, so she knew first-hand. That article really raised awareness. People would stop me on the street to ask me about it. One fella stopped me and said, "Geez, I saw the article in the paper. That’s quite a tool. How does it work?"

From the time the campaign was launched in July of 2001 to the time the department received its thermal imager in March of 2002 was just eight months. A committed group of dedicated firefighters led fundraising appeals, including a letter to local businesses, donation cans in retail stores, and presentations to local government and community groups. Of 43 letters mailed to local businesses, the department received answers to 40 of them. Chief MacPherson says he was very pleased with the support for the campaign. In the end, nearly half of donations came from government and institutions in Antigonish, and the other half from local businesses. Several individuals also made generous contributions.

“The camera hasn’t saved a life yet, but it’s sure made a lot of peace of mind for me that in a structure fire, we can just look around the room. The day will come when history will repeat itself, and this will save a life,” Chief MacPherson said.

Fundraising Tip: Regardless of how you have decided to raise funds to buy thermal imagers for your department, attempt to gain publicity for the fundraiser and the organizations involved. Get the media involved early and get as much exposure as you can for the technology before you ask for money. Strong involvement from the media can make an enormous difference in the success of your campaign. When the campaign is finished, invite the media to cover the delivery of the equipment so people know it has been purchased.

When Chief Doug Hamer of Riverview Fire-Rescue in New Brunswick presented his case for thermal imaging to the Riverview Town Council in the fall of 2001, he zeroed in on three benefits of thermal imaging: rescuing civilians, checking for hidden fire, and finding victims of motor vehicle accidents. He spent 15 minutes in a presentation about what the technology does and how it works, including a demonstration with a borrowed thermal imager.

“A thermal imager is not like a hose: you can actually show people what it does,” Chief Hamer said. “I find that it’s much, much easier to raise money or ask for money when you can show something tangible.”

Chief Hamer emphasizes that it’s important for fire departments to maintain good relationships with their funding bodies. “The leadership of the council in Riverview believes that we provide an essential service, and when we walk in the door, we’re asking for equipment we need… I’ve heard someone say that a thermal imager never put a fire out. But a thermal imager is an adjunct that assists us in doing our jobs safer and better, and in finding victims quicker. We made those points with the council, and we were successful.”

The department’s thermal imager was delivered in September of 2002, following a thorough competitive evaluation in a live fire scenario. Chief Hamer noted that the device is working well and has been employed in many applications, including locating hidden fire extensions and checking motor vehicle accident scenes at night for missing victims. In one case earlier this year, the TI assisted firefighters in finding their way to a basement fire through dense smoke. Firefighters reported they could not find the basement entrance before they activated the thermal imager, and then could actually see the basement stairs and the fire below, which was fueled by burning furnace oil. By finding the fire almost immediately, the fire department was able to limit the flame damage to the basement.

Fundraising Tip: There are many potential funding sources for thermal imagers, including local and state governments, corporations, civic organizations and individual donors. Determine your targets, then decide on your approaches. Base your approach on what appeals to your audience.

A Final Note…

As you initiate fundraising activities, remember not to limit yourselves to one funding source or to one funding approach. Build a team of dedicated people who are focused on the goal, and pay careful attention to planning and preparation before approaching potential donors and funding organizations. Show decision-makers and media members how thermal imagers work to save lives, preserve property and keep firefighters safe on the job, and your job will be significantly easier. With a determined, organized and passionate team, it’s within your reach to get equipped with thermal imagers.

Fundraising Resources

Bullard, the leader in thermal imaging technology for the fire service, provides free fundraising instruction and support that will help departments execute effective TI fundraising campaigns. The inSIGHT‰ program gives firefighters tips on managing the four fundamentals of fundraising and helps firefighters reach potential donors effectively, through group presentations, media relations, and direct mail. Both print and video resources are included in this free kit, which can be ordered by registering at www.thermalimager.com or calling Bullard toll-free at 800-827-0423.

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