By Alan M. Petrillo

MSA Safety Inc. has received third-party certification of its G1 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) integrated thermal imaging camera (TIC) for compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services (2013 ed.).

The G1 integrated TIC gives fire departments the opportunity to cost-effectively equip every firefighter with thermal imaging technology, MSA says. With the third-party certification, MSA can begin shipping its integrated TIC immediately.

The G1 Integrated TIC, previewed at FDIC International 2016, incorporates TIC technology directly into the SCBA and includes an auto-on feature that activates the camera once the SCBA is pressurized. The TIC is driven by the G1 SCBA’s single integrated power source, which eliminates the need for additional batteries.

MSA says the G1 integrated TIC is compatible with any G1 SCBA, including the more than 60,000 units in use at fire departments around the world. Featuring a patent-pending design, the G1 integrated TIC takes advantage of the G1's full-color display control module and can be installed at the factory or by a ten minute field upgrade.

Jason Traynor, MSA’s global product business director for respiratory protection and fire helmets, says that incorporating the TIC into the SCBA control module allows a firefighter to take advantage of five user-selectable color palettes available on the control module’s screen. Traynor notes that the camera placement allows the face piece of the SCBA to remain “snag free” and lightweight, which is critical when navigating challenging fire ground situations.  

“When we evaluated how to most effectively provide firefighters with this new technology, we considered nearly every possible location for a TIC,” Traynor says.  “Maintaining a cost-effective face piece that is free of electronics was a top priority for us and, after listening closely to firefighters and soliciting a tremendous amount of feedback from around the world, we determined that integrating our TIC into the control module provided the best and most elegant solution.”

Traynor continues, “The G1 SCBA was developed with the vision of providing firefighters with the latest technology to help protect them when lives are on the line. Our integrated TIC is a realization of the promise of the G1 SCBA to be a platform for innovation."

Equally important, he says, it "reinforces MSA’s ability to deliver a truly unique and versatile SCBA platform that has the potential to genuinely change the way fires are fought and protect those who protect us in ways never before possible.”

ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona-based journalist, the author of three novels and five nonfiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment editorial advisory board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.