Cedar Falls Firefighters to Use Helmet Cams

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Cedar Falls fire department has purchased small cameras that can be attached to helmets, and plans to start using them next year.

Cedar Falls Fire Chief John Schilling plans to put the high-definition video cameras to use in January after developing written policies on their use to respect patient privacy in the event of injuries.

The department currently has three cameras, and will rotate them from person to person and shift to shift.

Schilling says the cameras will primarily be used for fire scenes, post-incident analysis, fire investigation purposes and training. Schilling says the cameras are for internal use only. He says he envisions the incident commander having a camera, which will provide a full view of the fire scene.

The cameras pick up sound and are fire-resistant up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit for limited periods.

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