The Chillicothe Fire Department is updating its tools with the addition of a new device to help save lives.

Fire Chief Darrell Wright said the department recently purchased a Bullard thermal imaging camera.

“It replaces some of the old ones we have in the department we’ve been using for the past 15 years,” Wright said.

He said the device has a variety of uses.

“You can use them to find downed or trapped victims,” Wright said. “You can use them for missing persons outside.  They look very well in the dark outside when you’re looking for somebody who’s lost like a child or someone else.  It helps find things like electrical hot spots in the wall.”

The device cost the department around $9,800.  Wright said department officials were trained Tuesday on how to use the new thermal imaging camera.

“It’s like every tool we have, we don’t know who’s going to need to use it and when,” Wright said. “We try to be prepared and have it be second nature.”

He said the new device has updated technology from the old ones and the ability to allow crews to transmit images from the scene.

“This one has the ability to record and transmit so if we have crews on a hazmat scene or something we can transmit it back where we can verify it,” Wright said.

He said the old thermal imaging devices have been used by the department many times in the past.