the scene. Advanced image processing
like Flexible Scene Enhancement, or FSX,
provides real-time image enhancement
that creates an ultra-sharp image with clear
structural details and edges to help keep
firefighters oriented to the scene. Whether
it is in the hands of the primary search or
attack crew in a building, FSX-enabled TICs
give the clearest picture of the scene.
Fixed-mount cameras may do the most
to improve firefighting efficiency. Whether
they’re mounted on top of a truck or
attached to an aerial ladder, these cameras
provide an additional angle on the fire scene.
For example, a KF6 attached to the platform
or ladder of any aerial apparatus can see
through smoke billowing
from a roof and show
firefighters exactly where
to direct the water spray or
to help a crew venting the
building find their way off
the roof.
Finally, drone-mounted
thermal imagers give
incident commanders an
aerial view of residential
fires, large commercial fires,
hazardous material spills,
wildfires, and other critical
response environments. A
drone can let commanders
assess a dangerous area
before entering, or search
for hot spots after a fire has
been contained.
Drones can also be
crucial to quickly resolving
search and rescue calls. Rather than waiting
hours for a search helicopter, a rescue crew
with a drone could begin looking almost
immediately. Beyond just the response time,
drone mounted thermal cameras give crews
an advantage when looking for survivors
or victims in a variety of environments.
Because they let crews look down from
above, they’re not battling heat source
occlusion from vegetation — like tall grasses
or trees — when looking for people lost in
the wilderness.
Finding the best solution
With the right approach, the expanding
collection of available thermal tools will
allow firefighters to get multiple views of
any response scenario, get in and out of
buildings much faster, and to operate more
safely during an emergency response. When
fire companies have multiple people relaying
interpretations of what they see, from
different types of cameras at different angles,
it can help them keep better account of the
scene and the people working it.
It all boils down to having more eyes on
the fire.
—David Lee, Marketing
Communications Manager at FLIR
Systems, Inc.
Using FLIR technology, firefighters can identify the hottest
point in the scene of a fire. Credit: FLIR
FLIR’s Aerial First Responder Kit includes a FLIR thermal imaging camera for a DJI Inspire Drone that provides first responders added aerial support.
