Due to the patience of 35 men and 70 women who have been sitting on top of a 30-foot pole/tower around the clock since last Friday, the Ames Fire Department will be able to afford a thermal-imaging camera used to identify the hot spots of a fire.

The men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Alpha Gamma Delta joined together for the 10th Annual Pole Sit to raise about $4,000 to contribute to the purchase of an infrared imaging camera for the Ames Fire Department.

Each member of the house must spend a designated amount of time on the tower. The women must sit in the tower for a minimum of three hours and the men must sit a minimum of five hours, but it does not have to all be done at one time.

In order to make their goal of $4,000, every woman must receive at least $20 in donations, and the men at least $35. Along with the individual donations, businesses are also helping sponsor the event.

The last Phi Gamma Delta member will climb off the pole at 6 p.m. today after a combined total of 168 hours since the first climbed up the pole at 6 p.m. April 11.

The decision to give the proceeds to the Ames Fire Department was in part due to 1997 being the 15th anniversary of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity fire that destroyed the chapter house. Fraternity members said they felt that with better equipment, the Ames Fire Department might be able to fight fires better, such as the Theta Chi Fraternity fire on Oct. 4 of last year.

In March, 12-year-old Andrew Hefflefinger presented Ames Mayor Larry Curtis with the department’s first thermal-imaging camera. Students from Andrew’s school and members of Phi Gamma Delta worked together to raise the money.

The record for the most hours spent in the tower so far so far this year is held by Rich Campbell, a freshman in secondary education, who has spent 14 hours on the tower. Campbell said he was usually at the pole sit during the middle of the night. “I slept for an hour at a time,” he said.

The tower is equipped with a television and VCR.

Chris Dudding, a sophomore in construction engineering, and David Chubb, a freshman in hotel and restaurant, are co-chairmen of the event.

“I think it’s going fantastic. We’re always glad to help out,” Dudding said.

He said firefighters have driven past and shown their support by honking.

Some local celebrities, such as Police Chief Dennis Ballantine and Mayor Larry Curtis may participate.

Each thermal-imaging camera costs $18,000. Ames want to purchase two.