Turlock Officials Tested Advanced Firefighting Tech
The city has integrated AI-driven thermal imaging helmets into its fire department for use in low-visibility environments.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in People
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Turlock city leaders recently attended the Oklahoma Public Safety Innovation Showcase, where they highlighted the city's operational deployment of the C-THRU thermal imaging system. Turlock is one of 10 communities nationwide currently utilizing the technology.
Why it matters
The city integrated this technology to enhance safety and situational awareness during emergency responses in low-visibility, smoke-filled environments. Adopting such systems marks a strategic shift toward utilizing AI and computer vision to manage complex fire scenes.
Turlock is one of 10 communities currently using the C-THRU system, which was showcased alongside 50 other public safety and industry leaders.
The players
Amy Bublak
The Mayor of Turlock who participated in the demonstration of safety technology.
John J. Murphy
The City Manager of Turlock who tested the thermal imaging helmet in a live-fire training unit.
David Mallory
The Fire Division Chief for Turlock who oversaw the evaluation of new safety equipment.
Qwake Technologies
The manufacturer of the C-THRU thermal imaging, computer vision, and AI-enabled helmet system.
The details
The C-THRU system mounts to standard firefighter helmets and incorporates thermal imaging, computer vision, and artificial intelligence to assist navigation. The technology provides incident commanders with a live feed of interior conditions from outside the structure. Turlock leadership verified the equipment's functionality during live-fire training exercises.
Timeline
October 2026: Turlock representatives attended the Oklahoma Public Safety Innovation Showcase.
Market Landscape
Turlock's deployment of the C-THRU thermal imaging helmet system marks its entry into a small group of early-adopter municipalities. This development follows a broader industry trend of integrating AI and computer vision into standard public safety equipment to improve firefighter outcomes.
Operators in the public safety sector should monitor the performance metrics of AI-assisted navigation tools during smoke-filled operations. Evaluate whether similar computer-vision integration can reduce personnel risks or improve operational timelines for your specific department.
The takeaway
Technological integration in emergency services requires rigorous, real-world testing in controlled environments to validate vendor claims. Review your current procurement lifecycle to ensure new safety equipment undergoes comparable live-fire validation before wide-scale deployment.
Further reading
For more on municipal leadership and personnel updates, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Turlockjournal.
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