Andrew Starnes, Founder of Insight Training LLC highlights how fire service thermography can assist firefighters, sharing key advice on how it can be utilised and why it is so beneficial
Insight Training LLC, led by Andrew Starnes, focuses on giving firefighters the skills to interpret what they see, apply it in real conditions and integrate thermal awareness into everyday operations.
In this article, Andy discusses how Insight’s programmes translate complex thermography principles into practical fireground tactics, how they adapt to different departmental needs and what developments may change the way firefighters learn and train in the years ahead.
Could you begin by introducing yourself, your background in the fire service and how Insight Training LLC came to specialise in thermal imaging for firefighters?
My name is Andy Starnes.
I began my journey in the fire service as a junior volunteer firefighter following in 1990 under the guidance of my father Joe Starnes, who served as the volunteer Fire Chief in our community.
I began my career in the fire service with Charlotte Fire Department in 1998 and served for over 25 years before retiring at the rank of Battalion Chief in 2023.
During this journey, I was blessed to be involved in Project Kill the Flashover which was started by my father Joe Starnes and his dear friend Chief Shawn Oke.
I was fortunate to begin studying thermal imaging in 2010 through this project.
In 2015, I was injured while preparing one of our acquired structures for a research burn.
While I was out of work for seven months, I was able to research the field of thermography and formed the company Insight Fire Training (Insight Training LLC).
With special encouragement from my wife, I pursued this path beginning in May of 2015 by enrolling in thermography certification courses.
Through intense study and many wonderful opportunities, I was fortunate to develop a thermography-based curriculum for firefighters.
Since then, Insight Fire Training has grown to a cadre of over 20 thermography certified fire service instructors, traveling and training internationally, and we provided consulting services to many fire service product manufacturers.
We also now offer the world’s first collegiate thermal imaging certification through Western Kentucky University in partnership with Kentucky Thermal Institute.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, how would you describe tactical fire service thermography and its importance for modern fireground operations?
Fire service thermography is the process of interpreting qualitative thermal imaging data for the purposes of enhancing strategies and tactics in emergency situations.
It allows firefighters to quickly locate the source of the fire, the direction of the fire spread and the intensity of the fire.
It allows firefighters to ascertain the layout of the structures to quickly search and locate anyone trapped within the structure.
What key principles of thermal imaging should every firefighter understand to make effective tactical decisions during an incident?
Firefighters should be proficient in ten key areas of thermal imaging usage- we will cover five of them here.
- Do not over rely on technology.
- Carry the device: Over 50% of the fire responses surveyed showed that the TIC was being left on the fire apparatus and not being used immediately.
- Power the device on early: Fire Service TICs are required to be fully operational after 30 seconds of pressing the power button. Firefighters have realized that powering on the device at the entry point or inside the environment is not effective as they must wait on the device to fully power up and in many cases, they then realize their battery isn’t fully charged.
- Learn to scan properly: Fire Service TICs have been in use since the 1990’s and a six-sided scanning technique was introduced by a firefighter (Woodsworth) which incorporated all sides of the area that firefighters are entering. The issue with this technique is that it advocates that the scan should start high in the room. Firefighters have fallen victim to “tunnel vision” by scanning high and immediately detecting heat. They then fail to scan low to look for victims, hazards and layout of the structure. Many fire service TICs are dual gain which causes the lower cooler environment to darken down when the firefighter scans high. This has also been reported as a contributing factor for missing victims, fire beneath them, stairs and other critically important information. For this reason and more, we advocate a simple four principle of scanning technique that begins with TIC low in the space.
- Wipe the lens: Firefighters consistently report that their fire service TIC “whited-out” during a fire. Fire service TICs haven’t produced a white out effect due to heat in over 25 years. The most common reason for this problem is the failure to wipe the lens. As a firefighter makes entry to the fire environment, they experience a temperature change and condensation/smoke builds up on their facepiece. It is a common practice to wipe the facepiece so they can see. However, many have not been instructed to wipe the lens on the front of the TIC. This lens is made of germanium and has a scratch resistant diamond lined coating on it to reduce scratches. As a firefighter wipes the lens, the image dramatically improves for a few moments before the lens is covered again by moisture and smoke. This process shall be repeated each time during the scanning process.
What are the most common challenges or misconceptions firefighters face when first incorporating thermal imaging cameras into their work?
The most common misconception is that these devices measure temperatures accurately.
Fire Service TICs are qualitative in nature meaning that they are designed to detect heat emitted by surfaces in the 7–14-micron LWIR range thereby providing apparent temperature measurements.
These measurements are often grossly inaccurate.
NFPA 1801-2021 edition removed the spot temperature feature from TI Basic as it was listed as a contributing factor in three separate line of duty death incidents.
Firefighters are using this device incorrectly to measure lithium-ion battery incidents, spot temperature measurements during overhaul, and there are fire departments that require firefighters to call out temperatures as they move through the fire environment.
This is dangerous and inaccurate.
When combined with the fact, the fire service TICs do not detect gases and can only provide an estimated value; it is not surprising that we see firefighters consistently having problems with these devices.
This is a global issue and will not be resolved until the fire service improves their overall education and training in this area.
What knowledge, confidence and decision-making skills do firefighters gain from completing Insight’s courses and how can this training influence their performance on the fireground?
Insight Fire Training trains over 20,000 individuals each year across the globe.
Our courses have been reviewed by countless departments and manufacturers.
Our greatest blessing is to receive the emails of firefighter testimonials each week stating how they have applied the concepts they learned in our training to make a difference on the fireground.
How do you help departments integrate thermal imaging into their standard operating guidelines, crew coordination and broader safety culture?
We have helped hundreds of fire departments across the globe integrate basic thermal imaging concepts and assisted them with developing their own thermal imaging training programs.
For example, in our train the trainer program we provide an implementation criteria training session in which we discuss operational guidelines, training recommendations and more.
Poland and Germany have both integrated thermal imaging training into many of their standard training guidelines because of our training programs.
In addition, any student who completes our training receives access to a resource folder that consists of policy examples, procedures, lesson plans and more.
We also provide virtual follow-up consultations to these departments at no charge to assist them with training program development.
What steps do you think the industry should take to build a more consistent and informed approach to thermal imaging training across different fire services?
The current market is moving forward at a rapid pace regarding infrared technologies.
Manufacturers who decide to look beyond traditional methods of producing a “thermal imaging camera” will innovate the future of thermal imaging.
However, the most innovative and advanced technology will not solve the greatest problem in the fire service: a lack of consistent and standardized education and training in thermal imaging.
This is the mission of Insight Fire Training.
We have produced a collegiate program that has been peer reviewed and credentialed by Western Kentucky University.
We also are building more online free educational content for the fire service to use to assist in this area.
Our goal is create a generation of “intelligently aggressive” firefighters who change the world.