A Thermal Imaging Camera Review
Introduction:
The Thermal Imaging Camera or TIC as they are often still considered by some as unfamiliar new technology in today’s Firefighting. We still have Firefighter’s working in this country that do not have them available to them as of yet. Hopefully with prices of these cameras coming down in the last several years, it will be as common place as the SCBA on all fire apparatus on the road.
This brings me to the next point. Do we really have a true understanding on the proper uses of these valuable pieces of equipment? Do they go with you on every initial attack at a house fire, or are we leaving them on the rig until overhaul? I hope after reading this training program you will appreciate the many uses for the TIC and will have a better understanding of how to use them. It is the intent of this formal training program to better equip our Firefighters with the necessary knowledge and training to perform their jobs in a more safe and efficient manner.
Uses and Strengths of Thermal Imaging cameras
It takes training and practice to use thermal imaging cameras (TIC’s) efficiently. A TIC is only a tool, and positive results will be achieved through proper training and understanding of the tool. A TIC can no more guarantee a safe rescue in untrained hands than a set of irons can guarantee a quick forcible entry in untrained hands.
With proper training, the TIC can assist incident commanders, company officers, and firefighters in the following areas:
I.Traditional firefighting uses:
- Finding the seat of the fire, even in heavy smoke conditions
- Finding heat sources and bad light ballasts
- Location of hot spots.
- Finding hidden fires
- Observing the fire’s progress and spread
- Identifying critical building construction features.
- Monitoring threats to structural integrity.
- Size Up.
- Attack.
- Traditional search and rescue with a TIC can provide for a better, more methodical search pattern. Users will be able to investigate beds, chairs, furniture, and the floor for latent heat signatures of bodies. They may then transmit these findings to command.
- Observation of thermal layering.
II.Hazardous materials uses:
- Finding the level of liquid in an above ground tank.
- Evaluation of pressurized gas contents.
- Gas clouds or themals may sometimes be seen.
- Observing material floating on water.
III. Other Uses:
- Water Rescues.
- RIT
- Wildland Fires
- Command in the sky-for brush fires, or missing person searches.
- Overhaul.
- Victim location from rollovers or lost victims. Tracking a bleeding patient.
- Fire investigation work, such as the origin of heat sources.
III.Other strengths of TICs
1.Confined space applications.
2. Limits extensive overhaul damage.
3. Ability to transmit to command.
4. The unit can be passed around among crewmembers.
5. The retractable lanyard means you don’t always have to hold the unit. There is a less chance of dropping or losing it.
6. Training officers can use it to monitor crews in dark or smoke filled environments.
7. On an emergency scene a safety officer can monitor crews with it.
8. TIC’s can provide early warning of potential ceiling collapse.
9. Some models show the temperature at a given point.
10. Assessing turnout gear for signs of failure.
Other areas of training include a review of TIC technology , maintenance and department SOG’s.
Limitations and restrictions of thermal imaging cameras
Most if not all manufactures of thermal Imagers have some kind of warning in the operations manual. Never depend on the thermal imager for personal navigation. Always maintain awareness of location and escape routes when using these devices. Failure to do this may result in personal injury or death. Remember Brothers, this is not a night vision camera. It has limitations.
- TIC restrictions:
- Inability to look through glass, plexiglass or water.
- Limited battery life.
- Depth perception problems. Holes in floors are not easily seen with cameras.
- TIC’s can break at any moment, When do things break guys? When we need them the most right?
- Maintenance is very important especially charging the batteries. Do you have a maintenance program on your cameras?
- Requires someone to hold it most of the time.
- Metal doors can show false images.
- TIC’s are not intrinsically safe. People can sometimes rely on them too much.
- Screen glare in daytime.
- Firefighter behavior limitations:
- Firefighters may speed up the search process, causing them to go deeper into buildings. This may become a problem due to limited air supply.
- Firefighters have a natural desire to stand because they can see. This goes against the fundamentals of staying low below super heated smoke and gasses.
- Firefighters can become too dependant on the device, and in time of camera failure, they may become disoriented. Don’t disregard traditional methods of search
- Untrained users may misinterpret data. Images such as steps, ramps, or holes in the floor may be hard to see with device. Holes in the floor, or thermal signatures reflected off of glass, mirrors, puddles, or tabletops can be confusing. TIC’s provide images that you must investigate.
- It takes proper training to be proficient using a TIC. The tool is only as good as the person using it.
- Crews should use the camera as a first in tool. Firefighters need to be trained that if they are wearing an SCBA, they probably need the TIC also.
NOTE - Training should point out and modify any unwanted behavioral changes such as the desire to stand, a dependence on the TIC, a disregard for traditional methods of search or firefighter safety, and disorientation when the TIC is turned off to simulate breakdown.
Ironically,when firefighters are not properly trained and do not fully understand all aspects of the thermal imager, they may actually take actions that will increase, rather than decrease, the risks they face on the job.
Drill One
Single engine or multi-company
1 hour
Classroom setting =
A review of above strengths and limitations. Viewing of a manufacturer training video. A review of department SOP’s, and maintenance. Open discussion of TICs. A review of the expectations of the drill.
2 hours
Smoke tower =
Set up the building with two fire fighters as rescuers. Use one heated baby doll as a victim. (The doll can be heated with hot water, a heating pad, heating blanket, or in an oven set on the lowest heat setting and monitored.) Fill the building with furniture, glass tables and glass doors along with other obstacles. Set the doll on a kitchen counter to represent that the parent was getting ready to give the baby a bath in the kitchen sink. The drill facilitator also will utilize a TIC to monitor the crew and point out any limitations and strengths of the TIC during the drill. Thebuilding will be completely charged with training smoke.
A two firefighter team will come off the fire truck and be assigned primary search of the building. Using the TIC, they are to make a complete and systematic search. The objectives of the drill are as follows:
- Find and report to command a heat signature of a person on a bed, chair, or floor.
- Find a victim and report in to command (facilitator can advise the team that the victim has been removed.)
- Find a second victim behind a glass door (facilitator can advise the team that the victim has been removed.)
- Find the victim on the kitchen counter.
After the last victim has been found the drill facilitator will order the team out of the structure, and have the team shut off the TIC to simulate a malfunction. The team will notify command of the malfunction, and then exit the building by the closest exit.
Strengths demonstrated
-Traditional search and rescue with a TIC can provide for a better, more methodical search pattern. Users can investigate beds, chairs, other furniture, and the floor for latent heat signatures of bodies, and then reportthese findings to command.
-Can transmit to command.
-The unit can be passed around to other crewmembers.
-The retractable lanyard means you don’t have to hold it all of the time and there is less chance of dropping it or losing it.
-Training can use it to monitor crews in dark, smoky conditions.
Limitations demonstrated
-The inability to look into glass, Plexiglas or water.
-Limited battery life.
-Depth perception problems.
-The TIC can malfunction at any given time.
-Maintenance is very important, especially the charging of batteries.
-Requires one member to hold it.
-Firefighters may speed up the search process, causing them to get deeper into buildings. This may become a problem due to a limited air supply.
-Firefighters have a natural desire to stand because they can see. This goesagainst the fundamentals of staying low below superheated smoke and gases.
-Firefighters can also become too dependent on the device and in time of failure become totally disoriented.
-Untrained users may misinterpret data; images such as steps, ramps, or holes in the floor may be hard to interpret. Holes in the floor or reflectionsof thermal signatures off of polished surfaces such as puddles or tabletopscan be confusing. TICs only provide an image that you must investigate.
-TICs may not be utilized properly without adequate training. The tool is only as good as person using it.
-Crews must use the TIC as a first-in tool.
-Crews must not abandon traditional search training, or some victims may not be found.
The intent of this drill is to orient the firefighter with the TIC.
Drill Two
Single engine or multi-company night drill
1 hour
Classroom setting =
A review of above strengths and limitations. Viewing of video. A review of department SOP’s, and maintenance. Open discussion of TICs. A review of the expectations of the drill.
2 hours
Outside =
- The first drill will be tracking a bleeding patient. Drip heated water from a vehicle into the woods. Have a victim hide in the woods. (If a victim is not available put clothing in the Clothes dryer for a cycle and then dress the manikin with the warm clothes prior to starting the drill)
A two-fire fighter team will track the “blood” and try to find the patient.
- The second drill will be locating the victims of the roll over. Have several victims hide in the woods. Consider making the hiding locations harder as the crews get better at finding the victims. Get one of the victims off the groundand into a tree.
A two-fire fighter team will search the woods with the TIC to locate victims.
- The third drill will be locating a vehicle after a high-speed crash off then roadway into the woods. Drive a vehicle off the road and behind some trees or brush. Give the approximate location to the engine company.
The engine will respond using the TIC to locate the vehicle.
- The fourth drill will be evaluating the liquid level of a container. Usinga station generator tank or other pertinent tank review with crewmembershow the TIC can see the liquid levels.
- The fifth drill will be to view material floating on water. Using a burn barrel filled with water, try to evaluate if the TIC can pick up a small amount of floating back burn fuel on the surface.
- The sixth drill will be to view gas clouds. Using an aerosol spray canheated with body heat only, (put it under your armpit) try to evaluate if the TIC can pick up the spray in the air.
Strengths demonstrated
-Finding the level of liquid in an above ground tank.
-Evaluation of pressurized gas containers.
-Gas clouds or thermals may sometimes be seen.
-Seeing material floating on water.
-Victim location from vehicle rollovers or lost victims. Tracking a bleeding patient.
-At night along the highway the TIC can help locate MVCs in the thick brush and woods.
Limitations demonstrated
-The inability to look into glass, Plexiglas or water.
-Limited battery life.
-Depth perception problems.
-The TIC can malfunction at any given time.
-Maintenance is very important, especially the charging of batteries.
-A TIC requires one member to hold it.
The intent of this drill is to demonstrate that a TIC is only limited to the firefighter’s imagination and training.
Drill Number Three
THIS TRAINING EVOLUTION IS NOT TO BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT AND NOTIFICATION OF THE TRAINING DIVISION.
Single engine or multi-company
½ hour
Classroom setting =
A review of above strengths and limitations. A review of department SOP’s, and maintenance programs. Open discussion of TICs. A review of the expectations of the drill.
2 hours
BurnBuilding = All aspects of current live training fire burn regulations must be Followed.
Set several small fires on the first floor of the BurnBuilding. Have crews enter with the cameras. After finding and viewing the fires take a break and set a majorfire on the burn grate and heat up the building.
Have crew enter the building. The drill facilitator will point out and discuss/review strengths and limitations of the TIC’s. The objectives of the drill are as follows:
-Finding the seat of the fire, even in heavy smoke conditions.
-Finding heat sources.
-Locating of hot spots.
-Finding hidden fires.
-Observing fire progress and spread.
-Monitoring threats to structural integrity.
-Size-up and attack options.
-Observing thermal layering.
Strengths demonstrated
-Finding the seat of the fire, even in heavy smoke conditions.
-Finding heat sources.
-Locating of hot spots.
-Finding hidden fires.
-Observing fire progress and spread.
-Monitoring threats to structural integrity.
-Size-up and attack options.
-Observing thermal layering.
-Can transmit to command.
-The unit can be passed around to other crewmembers.
-The retractable lanyard means you don’t have to hold it all the time and there is less chance of dropping it or losing it.
-Training can monitor crews in dark, smoky conditions.
-On an emergency scene, the Safety Officer can use it to assistin monitoring crews.
-Some models show the temperature at a given point.
Limitations demonstrated
-The inability to look into glass, Plexiglas or water.
-Limited battery life.
-Depth perception problems.
-The TIC can malfunction at any given time.
-Maintenance is very important, especially the charging of batteries.
-TICs require one member to hold them.
-Metal doors can show a false image.
-TICs are not intrinsically safe.
-Untrained users may misinterpret data. Images such as steps, ramps, or holes in the floor may be hard to interpret. Holes in the floor or thermal signatures reflected off of polished surfaces such as puddles or tabletops can be confusing. TICs provide an image that you must investigate.
-TICs may not be utilized as they should be. It takes training to be proficient. The tool is only as good as person using it.
-Crews should use the camera as a first-in tool. Firefighters need to be trained that if they are wearing an SCBA they probably need the TIC also.
The intent of this drill is to instill in the firefighterthe importance of proper TIC training and that the TIC is a tool that is only as good as the operator who is interpreting the images.
Drill Number Four
Company Officerscan turn in a brief outline of a three-hour training session for their crews. This training can be single or multi-company training. Officers are encouraged to gear their TIC training towards any TIC weak areas their crew may have.