TIC Use, LODDs, and Near Miss Incidents:
This article will reference the incidents and information used to justify the removal of the spot temperature per NFPA 1801-2021. It is important to note that fire service TICs are qualitative in nature meaning they are designed to diagnose areas of interest, provide apparent temperatures, and are not intended to provide accurate measurements. Fire Service TICs should not be used to measure or detect gases as they will detect heat from endothermic reactions but will not detect the vapor plume or gases themselves. It is also imperative that firefighters understand the limitations of the detection capabilities of Fire Service TICs when viewing heavy insulated objects such as Electric Vehicle batteries, Energy Storage Systems, Well-Insulated objects such as cinder block walls, green/lead certified structures, and thick exterior walls such as masonry, concrete, or concrete block walls.
The following statement is mentioned in NFPA 1801-2021 standard:
•Despite all thermal imager manufacturer user manual warnings not to use temperature measurement to make tactical decisions, it became apparent in three recent NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation Reports that there is a lack of understanding on behalf of the fire service of the feature’s capabilities (NFPA 1801-2021).
Please see the following incidents related to the justification why the spot temperature was removed from TI Basic.
- The Houston Southwest Inn Fire Incident:
- NIOSH report: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201316.pdf
- Texas State Fire Marshalls report: https://www.tdi.texas.gov/reports/fire/documents/fmloddhouston2013.pdf
In the NIOSH report, it states that the Engine officer reported over the radio that he had a 184 degree Fahrenheit reading on the door thermal imaging reading. It is noted that the fire department had a previous LODD incident where the firefighter failed to carry a radio and the thermal imaging camera. A tactical command objective was issued by the organization that each officer shall transmit a temperature report over the radio.
- 2018 NFPA recommendation to remove the spot temperature was rejected initially:
1408-1_Niosh_Appendix_Five_-_Thermal_Imagers_for_Investigation_F2013-16.pdf
Statement of Problem and Substantiation for Public Comment (By Bruce Varner):
The following well describes the problem with spot temperature measurement;
Description Approved
TITLE OF NEW CONTENT Additional information on the Limitations of Spot Temperature Measurements and change to TI Basic Mode
Spot Temperature measurements have been removed from the TI Basic Mode in NFPA 1801, these measurements will still be available in the TI Plus mode, which in 1801 requires TIC specific additional training.
NIOSH Report # F2013-16 (this references the Houston Southwest Inn LODD incident)Appendix Five:
Use and Operations of Thermal Imagers
The Temperature Measurement Feature on Fire Service Thermal Imagers
should not be used for interior structural firefighting.
USE OF THIS FEATURE MAY CAUSE ERRORS IN JUDGEMENT WHICH MAY
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fire service thermal imagers may be equipped with a temperature measurement feature. Utilizing either a bar indicator or digital readout or both this feature displays the approximate surface temperature of a targeted surface.
The temperature measurement feature is a non-contact solid surface temperature measurement device that is not accurate.
Different materials or the same materials with different composition, surface textures, color and polish will not register temperature readings in the same way resulting in variations in the temperature readings.
Several factors including but not limited to:
• how much heat;
• the material being measured and its ability to absorb or reflect heat (emissivity)
• the objects temperature;
• the distance from the object being measured as well as;
• the angle at which the object is being viewed and also;
• the cleanliness of the lens as a result of steam or smoke;
• the object does not fully fill the center target area then a false reading may be obtained
Users must be aware and understand that the temperature measurement feature in a thermal imager will NOT provide atmospheric or air temperature readings.
Additionally the thermal imaging camera cannot see through walls.
When attempting to view a source of heat behind a wall or above a ceiling the heat source will not be evident if it does not heat the wall itself. Consideration must also be given to the thickness of the wall or ceiling as well as any additional layers of materials that may exist and further insulate or mask the true magnitude of the heat source.
All of these factors may individually or collectively greatly affect the accuracy of the temperature measurement feature during interior structural firefighting situations.
Because interior structural firefighting is a rapidly changing dynamic environment with many unknown and uncontrolled variables the temperature measurement feature on thermal imagers should not be utilized or relied upon by fire fighters to make tactical interior structural firefighting decisions.
Submitter Information Verification Submitter Full Name: Bruce Varner
Submittal Date: Committee:
BHVarner & Associates
Fri Oct 19 17:40:19 EDT 2018 FIY-AAA
Committee Action:
Resolution:
Rejected
The committee has chosen to reject this as they are unsure of what change the submitter is asking the committee to make to the document. The committee also believes that this is already covered in A.7.1.1 and in A.7.1.6 of the current edition. The committee would suggest that the submitter re-submit a public comment on the next edition of this document once this revision cycle is completed.
2. NIOSH Hartford Connecticut LODD report
A few notes/summary from the report: The firefighters made entry to the second floor apartment with a charged 1 3/4 with high heat and zero visibility. Engine 16 penciled the ceiling. Ladder 4 also reported the second floor was high heat and zero visibility. Ladder 4 vented the window on the second floor A side, noted a rapid increase in head, and ordered everyone to exit the building. Due to the high heat conditions, the crews opened the line and inadvertently struck other firefighters with the stream causing disorientation. A firefighter was injured and burned due to his facepiece and helmet being dislodged due to being struck by the fire stream. Engine 5 and the RIC crew were assigned to locate the missing firefighter. The Engine 5 officer looked at his Thermal Imager and noticed the screen was white but he heard the pass device activation and located the firefighter.
3. 1408-1_NIOSH_Ohio_FF_LODD_Report_201519.pdf: This incident occured in the City of Hamilton Ohio. Incident Summary-The NIOSH 2015-19 report details the death of a Hamilton (OH) firefighter who fell through a collapsing floor during a fire. The firefighter, Firefighter Patrick Wolterman, was on a handline and fell into a fully involved basement. The incident resulted in his death due to asphyxiation, and the fire was determined to be incendiary. NIOSH investigations identified several contributing factors, including incomplete size-up, wind-driven fire conditions, lack of incident action plan/tactical priorities, and ineffective dispatch operations, Firefighter Close Calls.
Please see the following links for reference:
- https://www.scribd.com/document/402292049/FF-Wolterman-LODD-Report-12-28-2015
- YouTube reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkiO9HnENeI
- City of Hamilton Internal Report: https://www.scribd.com/document/402292049/FF-Wolterman-LODD-Report-12-28-2015
- Summary and Notes: This incident was an arson fire that originated in the basement. “The Thermal Imager whited out when pointed out the basement” was stated during the attack of the fire and the rescue of the firefighter. The report also stated that all officers were issued updated TICs and sufficient training in the use of thermal imaging cameras. This is important to note that the majority of firefighters are not aware of of reasons for a white screen that can be cleared such as wiping the screen, awaiting for the TIC’s gain change (FLIR KXX cameras and several others produce a white screen briefly between high and low sensitivity), radio frequency interference can cause a white screen if the device as made prior to 2013 due to a lack of EMI coatings but newer cameras should not have issues with RFI. However, we have seen the EMI coatings not properly installed which has resulted in a white screen for approximately 10-15 seconds after the portable radio is transmitting when in close proximity to the TIC. And the last reason for a TIC displaying a white screen is due to uniform temperatures. A low temperature environment or an environment with high moisture content that has little temperature differential in the entire room can produce a very low contrast screen that appears as “white out.” However, if a firefighter can view the environment from outside of the environment or produce contrast through means of water application or ventilation (if appropriate and tactically safe) conditions will improve and discernible details will improve. Please see our TIC Use Limitations and Contraindications video for further reference: https://youtu.be/mBLxs9aw5cs
- Size-Up: It is important to note that the basement fire was missed on the initial size-up. This is a common contributing factor in many near miss and LODD incidents. We offer a free webinar on TIC use and size-up for your reference here: https://youtu.be/YEAmzvFbMB8?list=PL5UcFj45HlgePNlODGeVLPXXikQZ5x0G3
Additional Information for Consideration: These are a few of the reasons that NFPA 1801-2021 standard removed the spot temperature from the TI Basic. Despite the removal of this feature, a lack of training and prioritization of training of thermal imaging use is evident in the fire service. Insight Fire Training trains over 10,000 firefighters annually and less than 1% of the students we trained when surveyed at the inception of the class have had any thermal imaging training whatsoever other than a virtual presentation or sales presentation. In addition, many firefighters incorrectly use fire service TICs during overhaul as noted in several fire service documented reports such as the following statement “Engine X cleared the scene after completing overhaul and noting a 74 degree Fahrenheit reading on the TIC of the fire room.” This is not only dangerous but has contributed to rekindles.
Training Considerations and NFPA Consensus Standards:
NFPA 1010 requires all new firefighters to be trained in the proper use and maintenance of thermal imaging cameras (see chapter 7) and it requires all new firefighters to be able to perform three objectives:
- Locate and identify the fire and fire’s location
- Locate and identify a victim in low to zero visibility: It is important to note that this should not be done in artificial smoke with heated manikins as a victim will not appear the same in a superheated environment. Please see our Rules of TIC Use and Search webinar for more information on this subject: https://youtu.be/SWU_L-GPJj8?list=PL5UcFj45HlgePNlODGeVLPXXikQZ5x0G3
- Identify fluid level in a container: It is important to note that this cannot always be done due to the thickness of the container or the reflective nature of the exterior of certain containers.
For operations personnel, NFPA 1408 (The standard on thermal imaging camera training and maintenance) requires all operations/firefighting personnel to receive classroom, hands-on training, and live fire training on 23 topics annually. For more information, please see chapter 7 of NFPA 1408.
And for those seeking to become instructors or more proficient in thermal imaging use, we recommend that they read the NFPA 1930 standard which encompasses NFPA 1801 (The standard on Thermal Imaging Cameras) and we highly recommend that all firefighters receive basic training through our online and accredited collegiate program in partnership with Western Kentucky University and the program is peer reviewed by Kentucky Thermal Institute. This program is the only accredited collegiate firefighting thermal imaging certification in the world:
Tactical Firefighting Thermology:
https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0009-0030-0ecf6e0a2a5040468699bcf6da61b576
We also a free webinar on the fundamental concepts that firefighters should learn, train, and implement into their training programs known as Thermal Imaging TIPS for Success:
https://youtu.be/ytEJxo1R2Wo?list=PL5UcFj45HlgePNlODGeVLPXXikQZ5x0G3
Instructor Andy Starnes
Insight Fire Training
Level II Thermologist