After a generous donation from Heath Consultants of Houston, Texas, the Sterling Heights Fire Department becomes the first in Michigan to utilize a new remote methane leak detector.
This device will allow first responders to quickly scan common venting points within a building from a safe distance to determine if methane gas is present. This device works by using Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS), more commonly known as laser beams, which allows the user to point said laser beams through windows, giving them an audio/visual signal if methane is detected.
This $15,000 device will be crucial for first responders to make rapid decisions that are critical to establish the appropriate control of the gas and ignition sources if a detection is present.