When I first started to be mentored, I was taught that if we could get firefighters to take the thermal imaging camera (TIC) off of the apparatus, the fire service would be one step closer to improving efficiency and safety. Seven years later, I still am emphasizing the same point.
My first foray into writing about TICs stressed that the device’s usefulness exceeds its utilization for overhaul. Perhaps springboarding off of that, we learned that the TIC can be used in structure fires for size-up, search, water application and flow-path recognition, among others. What about applications outside of structures? These include electrical situations, motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and hazmat.
Fuses, downed wires, arcing
How many times do departments respond to a “smells and bells” call where someone smells something “electrical” burning but doesn’t know what it is? The apparatus shows up on scene, and the crew enters the structure and smells something right away.
The TIC is useful here by going straight to the fuse panel and scanning the panel with the TIC. Look for overheated fuses—they will appear as bright white on the TIC; if you have colorization, they’re even hotter—and search those areas first.
A big concern is fuses that are mislabeled. This can lead to members searching in the wrong location.
After investigating the suspected area, have a firefighter turn off the superheated fuse to make sure that the fuse matches the area of investigation. You should keep in mind that a blown or tripped fuse shows cooler on the TIC than the rest of the fuses as it is shut down. A “hot” fuse shows that it’s either near or at its current capacity.
When you get a report of electrical wires down, use a TIC to scan for the power line on the ground. Yes, we always should assume that a downed line is energized, but use of the TIC assists in situational awareness. Energized power lines show up as white hot.
Because I live in a hurricane area, I often use a TIC after storms prior to entering a structure or a yard around the structure. If there’s a fence, check to see whether it was energized. I have seen fences bright white on the TIC, with full electrical charge running through them.
Another power line emergency call is wires arcing. Sometimes, we can’t identify the actual location of the contact with the wires. Utilizing a TIC, follow the power line, looking for the bright area on the screen. This could indicate the location of the electrical arcing and, thus, the proper pole number can be identified.
MVAs
Who takes a TIC with them on MVAs? I hope that you raise your hand, or, if you don’t, I hope that you will after you read this article.
A TIC can be used on the 360 outer and inner circles of the scene to check for fluid spills and splashes and superheated areas in the vehicle(s). It also can be used to show how many occupants were seated in the vehicle. Scan the seats to look for latent prints—bright areas on the seats from the heat that was absorbed from the occupant(s) sitting there. Compare the bright areas that you see on the seats with the number of patients that you have. This is a very useful tool with ejections from vehicles.
The TIC also is useful with motorcycle crashes. Compare the heat signatures on the seats and handrails of the motorcycle with the number of patients that you have.
Remember that the heat signatures on the surfaces dissipate at a rate that’s similar to the rate at which the heat was absorbed. The longer that the person is in a seat, the longer that the print will stay on the seat. Time spent in the seat and ambient temperatures are variables in this assessment process.
Hazmat
Chemical releases cause hypothermic reactions or hyperthermic reactions depending on the characteristics of the release. Once on scene, scan the container and look for the cold or hot release spot, depending on the chemical that’s being released. This could show whether the concern is a valve or a hole in the container.
A good drill by which to demonstrate this is by opening an SCBA bottle valve and watching it through the TIC. You’ll see the valve turn from dark gray to black. This is because the endothermic release causes the valve to be colder than the ambient environment.
If you get dispatched to a spill, while scanning the container, you can utilize the TIC to see the temperature differences in the container. This shows you how much of the material is left in the container. Therefore, if you have a 55-gallon container and you see about half left, you can guestimate the further release total of 27 gallons.
Another option is to find out how much material was in the container prior to your arrival versus how much is left now. This helps you to find how much material already was released.
Another suggestion for TIC use with hazardous materials is spills in waterways. After Hurricane Ian, my department utilized this a lot on our waterways and marina areas. By looking at a spill area through a TIC, we determined the area and extent of the spill, because it’s lighter than water and floats on the surface.
The temperature difference between the substance(s) and the water shows white on the TIC.
Remember, a TIC can’t see through water. It only can see what floats on it. This helps with setting up booms and cleanup procedures in the waterway.
More ‘bonus’ applications
Say your crew gets dispatched to an elevator rescue at 3 a.m. You eventually make your way up to the elevator room on the roof. It’s dark. Using your flashlight, you scan the roof for layout and elevator room location, but that beam of light just leads your way. If a TIC is utilized, it shows the layout of air conditioning units, pipe layout and other hazards that might exist. In other words, instead of having a small flashlight image, utilize the TIC to get the full picture.
Any time that there are temperature differentials in a response, the TIC can be utilized, even when on medical calls. I was dispatched to a medical call where a person was complaining about leg pain. I grabbed the TIC from the charger and entered the home. As the medic assessed the patient, I scanned the patient’s leg with the TIC and found a hot spot with a gray leg below it. I marked the spot with a pen and informed the medic of the deep vein thrombosis that was in the patient’s leg.
The TIC also can be used for sprains and strains and to look for amputations in the field. Regarding the latter, look for the warm anomaly to assist in locating the still-warm body part.
Think outside the box
The first step in thermal imaging for the fire service is taking the TIC off of the apparatus. The TIC’s usage is open to the end user and to thinking outside of the box.
A TIC is employed to give a picture, a thermograph, of a scene. Anytime that you’re at a scene where you need assistance to see in the dark or to see temperature differentials, the TIC is there for you.
Like any other tool, the more that you utilize the TIC, the more comfortable that you will be with it. Learn what a TIC can and can’t do for you. Learn how to interpret the thermograph to get the information from it that you are looking for. Practice with the TIC under regular room temperatures as well as superheated temperatures.
When you listen to lung sounds, the more normal ones that you hear, the more that you will know when one is abnormal. The TIC is similar; the more that you use it and the more familiar that you are with how to interpret the information that the TIC gives you, the more situations you can utilize it for to improve outcomes on calls.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Thermal Imaging Camera
Dräger’s FireVista is lightweight yet rugged. With a high-resolution screen and razor-sharp image clarity, it helps firefighters detect temperature differences, locate victims quickly and precisely navigate hazardous environments.
draeger.com/en-us_us/Safety/Firefighting/DraegerNation-TIC
SCBA Integrated TIC
The MSA G1 SCBA with integrated thermal imaging camera provides every firefighter the ability to see in dark and smoke-filled environments, aiding the speed and effectiveness of operations, from initial 360, to rescue, to working the fire and overhaul. The TIC’s integration into the SCBA eliminates the need to carry an additional piece of equipment and the concern of a snag hazard.
us.msasafety.com/connected-firefighter/g1-scba
Wildland TIC
The HyperSight HS 640 from RPX Technologies is designed for wildland firefighters. Its high-resolution imaging provides unmatched visibility through smoke, to enable safer navigation and faster hazard detection. With zoom capability, four-option color palette and a virtually lagless 30 Hz frame rate, the HS 640 helps crews respond quickly in dynamic environments. It’s ideal for brush trucks, aerial apparatus and command vehicles.
Joseph DeVito
Joseph DeVito is a captain in Florida who has more than 25 years in public service. He has worked at volunteer organizations and as an EMT-P for a county-run EMS department and has been at his current department for 18 years. DeVito is Level 1 IR-certified and holds the Fire Officer credential from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He loves teaching thermal imaging, which is a tool that he believes is under-utilized in the fire service.
