This year our race proceeds will be put towards our 2025 Fundraising Goal of $55,000 for the purchase of fifty (50) Personal Thermal Imaging Cameras (TICs) – one for each seat on each fire truck, to aide our firefighters in maintaining their orientation within a structure fire. These cameras could save the lives of our firefighters as well as the lives of those who may need to be rescued from a burning structure.
Firefighting remains one of the most dangerous professions, with line-of-duty injuries and fatalities occurring all too often due to limited visibility, rapidly changing fire conditions, and the inability to quickly locate victims or fellow firefighters. The Lafayette Fire Support Foundation is committed to protecting the lives of the Lafayette Fire Department (LFD) personnel and the public they serve. Our goal of providing each position a personal thermal imaging camera will enhance personal safety as well as increasing search-and-rescue effectiveness.
Currently, LFD equips each apparatus with oneTIC per crew. These shared devices are often used by officers or designated firefighters as a crew, meaning that others working in zero-visibility environments or who become disoriented, lack immediate access to life-saving thermal imaging capabilities. This gap exposes firefighters to significant risks, delays search-and-rescue operations and hinders real-time decision-making during structural fire incidents.
It is the hope of the Lafayette Fire Support Foundation that their fundraising efforts this year will ensure that their goal is met and that every Lafayette Firefighter will be equipped with the tools needed to perform their duties more safely, effectively, and efficiently.
Donations can be made to the Lafayette Fire Support Foundation via PayPal at Lafayette Fire Support Foundation, Inc. or by mailing a check to Lafayette Fire Support Foundation, 20 N. 6th St., Lafayette, IN 47901.