Fire Chief Rick Sicard holds two thermal imaging cameras—the larger one on the left an early 1990s version of the more portable one just purchased (right). Andrew Perry (center) and Town Administrator Tim Bragan look on. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
As the Harvard Firefighters Association prepares for the third annual Ken Harrod Memorial Bike Ride, the fire department unveiled some new equipment last week, purchased partly with funds raised in last year’s ride.
In a presentation last Tuesday at the fire station, Chief Rick Sicard showed off two new thermal imaging cameras. The compact handheld cameras stood in contrast to the clunky older models Sicard displayed. The cameras will allow firefighters to “see” heat, useful for finding people in smoke-filled areas and searching for hotspots without breaking holes in a wall, among other things, Sicard explained.
Town Meeting authorized the department to spend $12,000 on the cameras in April, but, with the help of $2,000 from the firefighters association, the total cost to taxpayers was only $9,600, Sicard said. Similarly, Town Meeting had authorized spending $7,000 to purchase gear lockers for the firehouse, but another $2,000 contribution from the firefighters association helped knock that price down.
“It’s fantastic. You can’t ask for more than that,” Sicard said of the support from the firefighters. “And getting the support from the townspeople was great too, because they voted to fund them [the cameras and the lockers].”
The 30 lockers replace the simple hooks the firefighters had been using previously to stow their gear. They keep equipment off the ground, better organized, and more accessible, explained firefighter Andrew Perry.
“It looks better, it’s better for the gear, and it makes the station feel bigger,” he said.
The Harvard Firefighters Association raises most of its funds through the Ken Harrod Memorial Bike Ride and the annual turkey raffle, which will be held this year on Nov. 9.
This year’s Harrod bike ride is Saturday, Sept. 22. The ride is done in memory of longtime Harvard firefighter Ken Harrod, who died unexpectedly at the age of 67 in May 2010. Harrod was well respected among the firefighters and town residents for his dedication and community spirit.
This year’s ride features an 8-mile, 16-mile, and—new this year—50-mile loop. The ambitious riders on the 50-mile loop will travel through several surrounding towns, as well as Harvard.
In addition to the equipment fund, money raised through the bike ride will go towards the Harvard Firefighters’ Benevolence Fund, the Harvard Firefighters’ Scholarship Fund, the Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) Program, and Harvard Firefighters’ Family Crisis Fund.
The ride costs $25 for advance online registration, with a family rate of $50 is available for three or more riders. Day-of-event registration is $30 per person. Register online at harvardfire.com/bikeride.
