Today’s modern fire ground places stringent demands on our firefighters. Firefighters are required to formulate their strategies and tactics at 15-20 times the speed as previously in the past due to the high heat release rate fuels in structure fires. These fires develop faster and are predominantly ventilation limited fires with heavy, turbulent, black smoke that reduces visibility. Tactical Thermal Imaging enhances a firefighter’s decision-making skill set by providing thermal data. This data allows firefighters to:
- Quickly locate the location & severity of the fire
- Locate tough hidden fires via thermal cues & clues
- Identify the flow path and the fires direction of travel
- Determine the most efficient access path & prevent rapid fire development
- Enhanced Stream Placement by demonstrating the value of a guided stream through Tactical TIC usage.
This course offering will include a classroom session with one instructor covering the introduction to tactical thermal imaging and fire behavior definitions. The following concepts, definitions, and subject matter will be explained:
- Fire Behavior & Stages of Fire
- Fire Growth/Development
- Methods of Heat Transfer and how firefighters can use it diagnose fire conditions
- Understanding the limitations of PPE and heat flux/transfer
- Products of Combustion & Ignition Temperatures
- Reading Smoke vs. Reading Temperature
- TIC Contraindications & Overcoming Limitations
- Enhanced Size-up
- Go/No Go decision Making
- Enhanced Stream Placement
- Enhanced Search Methodology
- Enhanced Situational Awareness
After the classroom session is complete, the students will participate in a Max Fire Box Fire Behavior Demonstration in which all of the concepts and definitions will be brought to life. This is where the students can apply what they have learned in class with their thermal imaging cameras.
This course includes the following:
- 2-hour classroom session
- 2-hour Max Fire Box Burn & Learn Fire Behavior Demonstration and TIC training session
- 2 Insight Training Instructors
- We will provide additional training props to assist with the learning and demonstrations. These will include a window prop, various models and brands of thermal imaging cameras, and the Max Fire Box
The cost of this training and requirements are below:
- Training cost is $850 for for one instructor for groups up to 25. These costs do not include mileage or travel if the host organization is outside of a 4 hour drive from North Carolina. Outside of North Carolina, the cost varies from $1250-$1700 per day for an 8 hour day of instruction.
- We will need an area outside of the station or training event area that is preferably out of the wind.
- We will need one metal trashcan, access to a water hose to fill water bottles and extinguish the remaining fire.
- The Host Organization is encouraged to provide as many thermal imaging cameras as possible for the students benefit in learning the material. We recommend contacting vendors to provide additional TIC’s. It is best if there is a TIC for every two students (20 students equate to 10 TIC’s needed for the class); we will bring various models of thermal imaging cameras. Please let us know if you need assistance with contacting vendors as it requires adequate notice to do so.
- We will need the makes and models of TIC’s in use by the students/fire departments attending as we will customize the lesson plan to those thermal imaging cameras.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at your convenience and we greatly appreciate the opportunity.
Instructor Andy Starnes
Insight Training LLC
Level II Thermography Certified
704-507-7156
Insighttrainingllc.com
andystarnes@instructorandystarnes.com
