Thermal Imaging Manfred Kihn

Training firefighters is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job. Today, our fire service is changing as we find ourselves responding more to medical emergencies than fighting fires. We continue to embrace technology, albeit cautiously, as we look for tools to help us perform our jobs more effectively and safely.

Improvements have been made to equipment including halligan bars and ladders. We are now equipping emergency medical technicians and paramedics with portable ultrasound devices and handheld portable blood analyzers. The fire service is even looking into virtual reality training.

Thermal imagers (TIs) have certainly come a long way as well—from the large, heavy models to ergonomically designed lighter models that attach to a firefighter’s turnout gear to imagers that are equipped in a firefighter’s self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and SCBA face masks. With all these advances, we are a safer fire service.

My instincts as a firefighter come from years of fighting fires and experiencing close calls that could have ended tragically. Those instincts were formed before the TI was a firefighting tool. My instincts come from training, experience, and never feeling overconfident when responding to a fire call. I have learned to always expect the unexpected.

With all the latest technology in the fire service, the TI may be the one tool that can cause firefighters to feel overconfident and make mistakes. Let’s look at a couple of instances where a TI can give firefighters a false sense of security.

• Where Do You Carry Your Thermal Imager?
• How to Interpret Thermal Imaging
• Elevating Thermal Imagers to the Next Level
• Thermal Imaging: Think Strategic Deployment During Fire Attack
• Thermal Imaging: Understanding Your TI Technology
• Thermal Imaging: Look How Far We Have Come

TACTICS

There is proof that the use of thermal imaging technology in the fire service makes our jobs safer. It allows us to move faster through the structure and see where we normally could not see. Trapped victims have been saved from burning structures because the TI has given firefighters the sight to identify victims through the smoke and quickly escape a dangerous situation. The speed at which the crew can move has increased because of the use of thermal imaging.