MarketPlace

Fires are on the rise: thermal detection is no longer optional for waste fleets. Battery fires in waste collection vehicles are escalating with faster ignition, greater severity, and far less warning. Lithium-ion batteries hidden inside residential recycling and trash do not announce themselves. By the time a driver smells smoke or sees flames, the compactor is already compromised, the asset is at risk, and the situation is dangerous for the driver. The industry needs eyes where eyes cannot go. Seek Thermal was founded in 2012 by the engineers who pioneered thermal sensor technology, bringing more than 40 years of combined military-grade thermal imaging expertise into purpose-built commercial solutions. Their firefighting thermal cameras are trusted by fire services worldwide, and their mission is unambiguous: design and build thermal sensing technologies that enable intelligent decisions in critical moments. Seek Thermal designs and builds products and solutions for environments where the consequences are real. Seek Thermal offers a comprehensive portfolio engineered specifically for early fire detection. Fixed sensor modules enable protection for collection vehicles in the field, while fixed camera solutions monitor transfer stations and MRFs at the downstream facilities where heat events can cause significant safety issues. Handheld thermal cameras equip drivers and safety managers with immediate situational awareness, enabling rapid inspection of suspicious loads and, equally important, confirmation that a fire is fully extinguished before a vehicle or equipment returns to service. Detection and verification. Both matter. Seek Thermal’s new Guardian Series Solution is purpose-built for trash collection vehicles. Multiple sensor monitor modules provide continuous thermal surveillance inside the compactor body. Sub-3-second alarm response time triggers both visual and audible in-cabin alerts on a rugged driver display all before a smoldering battery becomes a vehicle fire. The system draws power directly from the truck’s 12V battery via an industrial-grade PoE switch, requires no specialized infrastructure, and is engineered to withstand the harsh realities of daily collection operations. Early detection saves trucks, routes, and lives. For more information, contact Ryan Smith at [email protected] or visit www.thermal.com/efd-collection-vehicles.html.