Leveraging Cameras for Critical Imagery

The Situation

The City of Fort Collins faced challenges managing parking congestion at heavily used Natural Areas. Visitors often drove long distances only to be turned away due to limited parking, leading to frustration and impacting the visitor experience. To address this issue, the City of Fort Collins sought a solution allowing visitors to check parking availability remotely, reduce inconvenience, and enhance the overall visitor experience.

The Challenge

The City of Fort Collins initially selected Sensera’s solutions to provide real-time views of parking conditions. However, little did they know that the rugged cameras that run off cloud based software would serve as watchful eyes on a quickly approaching natural disaster. During the Cameron Peak Fire in Larimer County, Sensera’s monitoring solution played a role in aiding the City of Fort Collins in assessing the fire’s impact and progression. The fire started in August 2020 and burned over 208,913 acres. It was the largest wildfire in Colorado’s recorded history. As the fire threatened natural areas and communities, including those monitored by the City of Fort Collins, the need for real-time imagery and situational awareness became important.

The Solution 

Accessing live feeds and archived footage from Sensera’s monitoring solutions proved helpful during the Cameron Peak Fire. The cameras enabled the City of Fort Collins to coordinate emergency response efforts more effectively by providing a bird’s eye view of the fire’s path and intensity. Additionally, the cameras assisted in identifying areas of concern and prioritizing resources for firefighting and evacuation efforts.

Sensera’s cameras have proven to be versatile and practical tools for the City of Fort Collins by providing critical imagery and situational awareness that contributed to effective emergency response and recovery efforts. Their role in assisting the City of Fort Collins in assessing the fire highlights the importance of reliable monitoring solutions in mitigating the impact of natural disasters and protecting communities and natural resources.