The Thermal Imaging Camera: Friend or Foe (or Somewhere In Between)

One of the most important tools that the modern fire service is the T.I.C. or thermal imaging camera. While it’s first use that resulted in the saving of a human life is traced back to 1985 in London, due to cost and development factors, it is believe that the first U.S. fire department to purchase one for regular use was Seattle in 1997. Just over 20 years later, the tool is ubiquitous in the fire service, with most, but the smallest, having at least one camera for the department. And why not? It is a tool that has multiple uses for us! However, as the owner of a successful South Florida floor covering company says in his TV ads, “Would you call a neurosurgeon to fill a cavity?” meaning, the camera user must know the capabilities (and lack thereof) damn well!
Our guest on this podcast, Capt. Andy Starnes, might not be a neurosurgeon, but he knows most fire service TICs inside and out. As a captain and group leader with a major North Carolina fire department, not only does he use a TIC frequently, he has studied their manufacturing process and is involved in testing models on a regular basis, for he is considered one of the leading experts in the use of the TIC, teaching across the U.S., Canada and Germany.
In today’s episode, Capt. Starnes addresses three critical areas of TIC use:
A.Is it an advantage or a detriment?
B.Enhancing fire attack & search methodologies
C.What are we really seeing; usefulness and common terminologies
At the end of the podcast, Capt. Starnes provides some of his contact information and we have it all on his Guest Page at our website, www.dalmatianproductions.tv. Capt. Starnes invites anyone with TIC questions or concerns to feel free to reach out to him for assistance or training.