Bert Dunham, assistant fire chief, mentioned to his sister-in-law that the fire department needed to purchase a camera.

Because she was an employee at Sony Electronics in Kansas City, Mo., she knew the corporation allots funds to help area agencies.

Dunham decided it might be worth a try, so he wrote to Sony asking if they would be able to help.

“I stated how the camera would benefit the fire department in documenting the scenes and how it would let us interface with the sheriff’s department because it’s identical to the camera they have,” Dunham said. “So if we have to work a meth lab or an accident or something, we can exchange the information pretty easily.”

The volunteer firefighters also use photographs for documentation at fire scenes and for training, the assistant chief said.

The department was able to put the camera to work immediately after they received it last April.

Dunham said the firefighters’ plan is to always have the camera at hand.

“It goes with the pumper truck,” he added.