The DeKalb Fire Department soon will purchase two new thermal imaging cameras to assist firefighters in locating people trapped in a fire and to locate hazards to the firefighters themselves. Thermal cameras allow firefighters to see through blinding smoke by sensing heat.

They will allow firefighters to locate victims, other firefighters and to assess fire conditions. Funding for the cameras came from Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has issued $9.4 million to fire departments across the nation in the 10th round of awards as part of the Assistance to Firefighters Program.

"The president and I recognize when our nation's fire departments have the equipment to maintain a high state of readiness, our communities will be a safer place to live and work," FEMA director Joe M. Allbaugh said.

DeKalb Fire Chief Peter Polarek said the department owns one other camera but the addition of two more will be beneficial.

"All responding fire personnel are trained in the use of the cameras," Polarek said. "An officer of a company will probably operate the camera."

With the cameras, officers can assess the conditions of a fire without entering a building, allowing safer and more effective deployment of fire fighters and equipment.

DeKalb Fire Department was one of 158 departments that received funding from FEMA in this round of awards. FEMA says it received more than $3 billion in requests for awards that were funded with only $100 million. To date, FEMA has issued $82.2 million of the available $100 million.

The fire department also had requested $18,000 for fire prevention programs, but the funds were denied by FEMA in early September.

Fighting for improved mental and physical health among the needy is only one item on CROP's agenda.

Christian Rural Outreach Program not only is helping needy areas around the world, but also is fighting illiteracy, the threat of landmines and the ravages of war and natural disasters.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Newman Catholic Student Center, CROP will hold a 10 kilometer/six mile walk around DeKalb to raise money for those in need. Currently, the organization raises about $16 million a year locally and globally.

CROP, a nationwide group which started after World War II, was organized by farmers to provide crop assistance to those in need. The farmers would donate in various forms, such as corn meal and flour, to those in Europe to help rebuild after World War II. Since then the organization has done various fundraisers.

Jenny Tomkins, a current committee member of CROP, has been walking annually for 18 years.

"The goal is to raise money but also raise awareness," Tomkins said. "As of the events from Sept. 11, I think people may have become aware of and more sensitive to [the fact that there is] widespread poverty and suffering around the world."

In DeKalb, groups like Hope Haven, a homeless support service, the Salvation Army's food pantry and Meals On Wheels are assisted by CROP, which donates 25 percent to the organizations.

Various other organizations are involved in the walk, including the Student Dietetic Association, the Association for Women in Communications, Golden Key Honors Society, Sigma Lambda Beta and Delta Sigma Pi.

Kelly Szlak, a senior elementary education major and president of Student Education Association, just wanted to help.

"We just wanted to join in the effort with other NIU organizations to stop the hunger," said Szlak.

Sondra King, a member of the Church World Service and committee organizer, has seen first-hand what poverty brings to countries.

"It is a sad fact that while the U.S. is the richest nation on earth, almost one in five children in this country lives in poverty," King said. "Slavery persists in some countries, and child

labor is still common. In many countries the average income is a dollar a day."

They may not be magical gnomes, but the work done by the Illinois Toll Highway Authority in preparation for the winter months remains unseen by many.

The salt and plow blades they stock up on during the summer months could make the difference between your car getting home safely or ending up in a snow bank.

"The first storms happen in December," said Joelle McGinnis, press secretary for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Making sure trucks will have enough windshield washer fluid and gas, along with stocking up on salt, are some of the things on the authority's agenda for the warmer months.

Last year's winter was one of the coldest and most snow-ridden in history, and the troubles it caused on tollways, like I-88, was unprecedented.

McGinnis said between Nov. 13 and Feb. 27, there were 27 snowstorms, ten of which were in December, stretching over 19 of the month's 31 days.

This year's winter is shaping up to look similar, said NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste. Cold air coming in from Canada could make this winter colder than last year, which was already one of the coldest on record. Snow levels also might be higher than normal, Sebenste added.

If Sebenste's predictions are accurate, the Tollway Authority could be in some trouble.

The breakup of I-88 and a small section I-94 near Lake Forest last winter is something they've never had to deal with, McGinnis said.

Last year's storms also used 20 percent more abrasives than normal, like salt and aggregate, which almost had the tollway authority looking into additional sources for salt.

Making salt and other road abrasive orders is something done early in the year, said Pat Klein, secretary for DeKalb's operating divisions.

"We put in contracts way before we want to think about snow," Klein said.

Extra blades for the plow trucks are also an important necessity, especially on roads like I-88 that are in bad condition, McGinnis said.

Plows blades regularly are replaced on trucks used on roads laced with potholes, McGinnis said, while blades used on smooth roads like I-355 can be used for a longer period of time.

With summer construction wrapping up, the most important thing for the tollway authority to do is make sure all their elements are in place for the winter, McGinnis said.