An existing program to donate thermal-imaging cameras to fire departments has gotten a shot in the arm from an Atlanta businessman.

After watching the documentary Into the Fire, Atlanta real estate mogul Frank Buonanotte was so inspired that he donated several thermal-imaging cameras to departments that could not afford them. But the philanthropist said he wanted to do more, and last year began asking friends and colleagues to give up one month's worth of dining out, or $500, to help buy more thermal imagers. Many gave more; some donated enough to buy an imager, Buonanotte said.

Buonanotte established 500 for Life, a not-for-profit organization to collect and dispense the donations. Buonanotte pays for all of the organization's operating expenses so that all donations go to buying thermal imagers.

In January, he joined forces with Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Fireman's Fund created the Heritage program in 2004 and has since funneled more than $13 million in grants to 450 fire organizations and fire departments. Part of that program provides thermal imagers to fire departments; the Heritage program has already awarded more than $1 million for that purpose. Fireman's Fund also produced Into the Fire and uses proceeds from its DVD sales to help fund its grants.

The partnership meant that 500 for Life could work through Fireman's Fund's infrastructure of collecting and assessing grant applications. It also meant a serious cash infusion into the Heritage program.

Bounanotte's solicitations generated more than $120,000, which he used to buy 10 thermal imagers to give to fire departments during Fire-Rescue International in August in Atlanta.

“Frank has been like a 5-year-old kid on Christmas Eve waiting for this day to come,” said Brad Harvey, thermal-imaging product manager for Bullard. Bullard sells its imagers to the Heritage program at five for the price of four, he said. The retail value of the imagers donated at FRI was $13,000 each.

The 10 departments that received thermal imagers were:

• Baker (Ore.) Rural Fire Protection District,
• Clayton (Ga.) Volunteer Fire Department,
• Crockery Township (Mich.) Fire Department,
• Flint Hill (Ga.) Fire Department,
• Gray (Ga.) Fire Department,
• Hall County (Ga.) Fire Services,
• Henry County (Ga.) Fire Department,
• McLewis (Texas) Volunteer Fire Department,
• Potosi (Texas) Volunteer Fire Department, and
• Roswell (Ga.) Fire Department.

“Our mission will only be complete when each fire department has the thermal-imaging cameras it needs,” Buonanotte said.