IR INFO 2026 Conference 2/1-2/4/2026

Insight Fire Training is returning to the IR INFO Conference in Orlando Florida for our third year in a row!

We are grateful for this opportunity!

Insight Fire Training will have a booth at the event in the Technology Showcase area and Insight Fire Training Founder Andy Starnes will be providing a lecture titled:

Fire Service Thermography: Firefighting Thermal Imaging Cameras vs Industrial Thermal Imaging Cameras.

In the world of thermography, thermography professionals use various models of thermal imaging cameras (quantitative and qualitative) with specific settings under in various specific context to identify problems for further inspection and repair. Thermography professionals can use SWIR, MWIR, OGI, LWIR, and other models of these devices in conjunction with other devices to identify these problems. These thermograms are then analyzed and a detailed report is completed with the recommendations.

Whereas, in the fire service, firefighters use LWIR qualitative thermal imaging cameras with very limited adjustable settings where the analysis to identify the problem must be done in seconds. In addition, firefighters do not have the luxury of controlling the variables such as FORD (focus, range, and distance), environment conditions, emissivity, and more. They must make these decisions quickly and then scan each room or environment that is the most unforgiving and challenging space to operate a thermal imaging camera in (low to zero visibility with various densities of smoke and moisture). And if they misinterpret the data, the consequences can be deadly.

Industrial thermography has made vast improvements in image quality, innovative features, and more. Whereas firefighting thermal imaging cameras were originally very large, expensive, and produced a poor image for the environment it functioned in.

In 2013, NFPA introduced the NFPA 1801 Standard for Thermal Imaging Cameras which provided improved recommendations on the specifications, design, and durability of firefighting thermal imaging cameras. Since that date, many improvements have been made in the consensus standards and the overall technology.

This presentation will cover these improvements and discuss the intersection of industrial thermography and fire service thermography. The presentation will invite user feedback on several topics including education, technology, and collaboration between both fields.

However, where a trained thermographer can use the direct temperature measurement with relative accuracy, firefighters do not have this luxury as fire service TICs are non-adjustable qualitative devices that can and have caused catastrophic results by relying on this single point measurement (reference the LODDs mentioned in NFPA 1801-2021)