Firefighter's Body Cam Shows First-Person Fire Fighting

Body cams have quickly become associated with police officers, but they're not the only ones wearing the little cameras. There are consumer versions designed for recording the important moments in your life, and other occupations are taking advantage of them, too — firefighters being among them. The San Bernardino County Fire Department has begun using them, at least in certain cases, and late last week it published footage from one of those cameras on its YouTube page. In it we get to see what it looks like when fighting a raging inferno from a firefighter's point of view.

The video is intense, and particularly wonderful due to its clear high-definition quality and surprising degree of stability considering the wearer was wielding all manner of power tools. We see him cutting through a metal gate, sparks flying, and then swapping tools for a chainsaw.

Stick with the video a bit, and a second screen shows up showing another firefighter's cam giving another perspective on the battle. They take to the roof eventually, testing and cutting amidst growing flames and plumes of smoke. At one point we get to see the inside of the house as it is full of flames.

All ended well, at least in terms of human safety. The residents escaped and the firefighters saved the family dog, then managed to put the entire fire out in 30 minutes. A total of five fire engines, one truck company, and a battalion chief were involved, according to county officials.

VIA: Gizmodo