Gear Test: Dräger’s UCF 9000 Thermal Imaging Camera

One of the greatest tools available to us during search and rescue is the thermal imaging camera (TIC). It allows us to peer through obscuring smoke and total darkness, decreasing the likelihood of missing a victim during a search or a hotspot during overhaul. A TIC also allows us to view the layout of a building and any potential hazards that may jeopardize firefighter safety on the fireground.

I’ve been reviewing the Dräger UCF 9000 TIC for the past few months. After a quick orientation on its features, I realized that this product was a major step up from the TIC currently issued to our frontline companies. Its superiority is apparent when looking at the image quality and many other impressive features. The more I used it, the more amazed I became by its capabilities–I found myself regularly showing it off to other firefighters. In short, Dräger has taken the average TIC and increased its usefulness, versatility and adaptability to fit the ever-evolving and dynamic emergency scene.

The UCF 9000 can operate in several modes, each of which comes with a unique feature, depending on the task. The unit turns on in Standard mode, which is a combination of all the different modes available. This “default” mode can be used for what one would expect of a TIC, which is why I used it the most.

In the middle of the screen, there’s a small box that corresponds with the color-coded temperature scale found in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Note: Researching other TICs of similar price, I found that the UCF 9000 has a greater temperature range; it can display temperatures between -40 and 1,800 degrees F. The default temperature range displayed on the right runs between 230—270 degrees F. When the box in the center of the screen displays a temperature reading that’s higher than the default range is capable of displaying, the default scale changes to one that can display higher temperatures, which range from 570 to 1,700 degrees F, and it does so without freezing frames, a problem I’ve encountered with our current TIC. (Note: Dräger touts that they’ve paid special attention to the camera’s shutter time, creating a video image that doesn’t stutter or freeze.) On the orientation video provided by Dräger, the narrator states that the temperature range of the TIC’s scales can be changed to suit your needs. I didn’t physically change the scales because they suited my needs just fine.

Using a four-way toggle button found below the screen, the user can select from several modes: Standard, Fire, Persons, Thermal Scan, Hazmat, Outdoor, Scan Plus, Normal and Custom. When operating in any mode, you can quickly hit the power button to return to the default Standard mode.

In Fire mode, hotspots and temperature ranges are shown in detail and contrast. In Persons mode, the camera focuses on cold and warm objects, even when located near a fire or other high-heat source. I noticed that when I pointed the camera at a person in this mode, the person’s body had greater illumination than in other modes.

The Thermal Scan mode highlights objects that are greater than the set temperature; you can adjust the temperature that you’d like to view using the four-way toggle. During my experience with this mode, the temperature was initially set to 100 degrees F during overhaul, and the whole room lit up. I was able to increase the temperature displayed until it would indicate only the high-heat nooks and crannies where fire might have been hiding. With this mode, it was very easy to locate and extinguish spot fires that may have led to a possible rekindle.

In Hazmat mode, a vibrant color area is displayed within the image, which clearly indicates liquid level and leak detection. In Outdoor mode, the images on the screen have reversed brightness (the image is very bright indoors), a feature similar to changing a video monitor from a daytime setting to a nighttime setting. This feature may be useful if firefighters are trying to locate a body that has been ejected during a motor vehicle accident.

Scan Plus combines the image quality of Normal mode with the temperature display feature found in Thermal Scan mode, so that anything above the set temperature has a color imposed on a normal digital video feed. In Normal mode, the TIC becomes a digital video camera, displaying images as you would see them with any video camera.

In Custom mode, the image is very similar to what you’d see on any TIC screen, but with the broader color range of an infrared camera. So rather than displaying a body as bright white in a darker setting, it’s displayed in varying colors that correspond with the temperature scale found on the right side of the screen.

Other unique features found on the Dräger UCF 9000 include the Laser Pointer, the Freeze Frame, the integrated Brightness Sensor, the 2x and 4x Zoom, and the Video/Audio Recorder. The Laser Pointer is used by simply pushing the four-way toggle in the needed direction. I used this feature to point out a hot spot in the eaves of a building that were too high for me to physically reach.

While viewing with the camera, you can hold down a button on the front grip, which freezes the image on the screen so that you can evaluate it. To unfreeze the image and return the camera to its original mode, you simply release the button. I found this feature particularly useful when I wanted to show someone what I had found or had been looking at, but moving the camera would remove the object being discussed from view.

The integrated Brightness Sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen to an optimal level, which came in handy when I went from an outdoor area to an indoor area, or from a well-lit area to a darker one. The Zoom feature brings an object closer, which is especially convenient when an object is in your line of sight, or when your point of interest/concern is not easily accessible.

The video/audio recorder feature will come in handy during training or when evaluating an incident during an after-action review. The camera records video and audio in a loop for two hours, while a USB connection on the camera allows the captured footage to be transferred to a computer. (What I found particularly noteworthy about this feature is that I was able to go back and look at all the different things I had done with the camera for this review.)

As if all of that weren’t enough, the Dräger UCF 9000 also has a durable design and is rated as Zone 1 Explosion Proof. The battery lasts for four hours; however, this TIC is equipped with a system that can increase the duration of the battery. To conserve the battery, the TIC goes into standby mode as soon as a hand leaves the grip; it’s reactivated when a hand returns to the handle. (Note: This feature can be disabled if you don’t find it useful.) I found that the life of the battery was far greater than our current TIC. Even without a charger on the rig, it was rare that I had to place it on the charger in the station.

As you can see, there are many exceptional features to the UCF 9000–so many, in fact, that I was continuously impressed by it throughout my review. I found only a couple areas that need improvement: First, after the camera is turned on, it takes about a minute to boot up. The video camera will begin to function quickly after it’s powered up; however, the image freezes while the camera continues to load. This can be deceiving because the TIC appears ready for use, but it’s not. I recommend turning on the camera at least one or two minutes before you need to use it to avoid any delays.

The laser pointer is also a great idea, but I found that it’s difficult to see at any distance because the red dot is so small. I found this to be especially true at night in an outside environment with emergency lighting.

Another issue, which is true with many TICs, is that it’s a hand-held unit, so you have to be very mindful of where you place it if you need to set it down. This issue is easily remedied by using the neck harness or side strap with a lanyard that Dräger offers as accessories. Not having either of these definitely bore some inconveniences on the fireground, especially considering that it’s not a cheap tool to leave lying around. The Dräger UCF 9000 retails for about $14,000. My initial reaction was that this seemed a bit high, but I did some research and discovered that the price is comparable to other higher-end TICs. I also discovered that the UCF 9000 has more and/or better features than the other TICs in its price range. For example, it has a greater temperature range and a 4x zoom in addition to the standard 2x zoom of some of its competitors.

The bottom line: The UCF 9000 is a great TIC. It almost seems wrong to refer to it as a TIC because the term doesn’t do it justice; it doesn’t encompass all of its capabilities. The biggest challenge I had with this product was giving it back to the manufacturer and returning to the TIC on our engine.