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From bucket brigades to battery-powered tools: how Leesburg's firefighters modernized over 150 years
Summary
Chief Joe Mirra described technological changes at the Leesburg Fire Department, from no-communications bucket brigades in 1875 to portable thermal imaging and battery-operated extrication tools today, and noted both benefits and new operational challenges.
In the Inside Leesburg interview, Fire Chief Joe Mirra contrasted the department's earliest days with its present equipment and training.
Mirra said early firefighters faced severe communication limits: "telephone hasn't been invented yet. No radios," and he emphasized that early notification delays made response slower. He highlighted technological advances since his hiring in 2002, citing thermal imaging cameras that were once "the size of some of your TV monitors" but are now compact and highly portable.
Mirra also noted a move away from gasoline-powered extrication tools toward battery-operated equipment: "when I first got hired...they're all gasoline powered. And now we're all transitioning over to battery operated electric." He said technology has improved capabilities but also presents new logistical and training challenges for the department.
