Dräger secures position on NFCC Emergency Response Equipment Framework

Thermal imaging camera equipment supplied by Dräger will now be available to the NFCC through the agreement, with the company having been awarded a position on Lot 5 Thermal Imaging Cameras.

The procurement framework is available to UK Fire and Rescue Services, police services, Ambulance Trusts, the NHS and UK Government Departments, agencies and public bodies including the Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation, the Environment Agency and Her Majesty’s Prison Service.

The framework affords these public sector organisations the flexibility needed to order life safety equipment as and when it’s required without having to pass through the full tender process.

UK Fire and Rescue Services will be able to choose from Dräger’s UCF 8000 and UCF 9000 models, both of which provide vital insight when visibility is reduced due to smoke, fire or darkness.

The 8000 model delivers “first-rate” image quality, a robust design and continued recording with a full memory card. It can also be used in potentially explosive atmospheres including Zone 1 according to ATEX. Further functionality includes temperature resolution to help identify trapped individuals, the ability to ‘see around corners’ and the ‘snapshot’ function for the temporary freeze-frame of an image.

Dräger’s UCF 9000, meanwhile, is a thermal imaging and digital camera all in one. Eight image modes are available available, including outdoor, persons (Search and Rescue), thermal scan (for ‘hotspot’ search) and Scan PLUS (for heat sources). The camera also comes with a laser pointer and extended dynamic range to clearly detect individuals and objects.

Liz Millward, marketing manager for the Emergency and Rescue Services at Dräger UK, informed Fire Safety Matters that the cameras have been built to increase incident efficiency and enhance firefighter safety.

“The cameras provide instant access to high quality images of the incident, allowing emergency responders to locate victims, as well as the source of the fire, very quickly indeed,” stated Millward. “This not only serves to improve incident responses, but also protects the firefighters, who are provided with the additional visibility needed to access and exit an area or zone as quickly as possible. In an industry where a split second can be the difference between life and death, such technologies are crucial for the safety of our firefighters.”