Flir recently provided access to its high-performance K-series thermal imaging cameras as hundreds of female firefighters gathered at a major training event in Mexico. Around 460 women from various states in Mexico attended the event, all looking to improve their thermography skills and emergency response capabilities—with a little help from advanced Flir technology.

Statistics published by Rescue Intellitech suggest that fewer than 10% of firefighters worldwide are women. Unfortunately, Mexico is among those with even fewer than this average figure, with the Government revealing just 5.53% of its firefighters are female. However, the country is taking a proactive approach to addressing the situation, as evidenced at Mexico’s Regional Firefighters Congress 2025.

Taking place this year in the central state of Tlaxcala, the event attracted firefighters from across the country. The congress hosted various conferences, competitions and training workshops, with over 450 women keen on boosting their level of firefighting expertise. This major congress drew support from Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection, a federal government agency responsible for overseeing public safety and security.

The congress aimed to empower and develop the skills of women in responding to fires, rescues, and other types of emergencies. Notably, a demonstration of vehicle firefighting techniques delivered by trained personnel highlighted the basics and fundamentals of emergency response. The training covered relevant topics such as thermography and fire investigation. With decades of experience in thermal imaging solutions, Flir provided the event’s camera technology.

Female firefighters were given hands-on tactical training - including the live vehicle fire demonstration—using Flir K-series thermal imaging cameras. Armed with advanced models like the feature-rich Flir K65, the aim was to build their understanding of various key functionalities, such as Flir Flexible Scene Enhancement (FSX™) technology.

The powerful image processing algorithms behind FSX technology help firefighters see low-contrast targets even in scenes with wide temperature ranges. The result is an ultra-sharp, finely textured image that shows subtler details, allowing firefighters to recognize objects, pathways, and other features more easily, supporting faster, better decision-making when seconds count.

Also capturing interest at the event was the K65’s low-gain/high-gain mode, which allows users to adjust the temperature measurement range and image sensitivity with ease. Fundamentals like reading heat patterns and using the K65 to see through smoke were also core training activities.

Teresa Gonzalez, Flir’s Key Account Manager for Latin America, was invited to the event by Mexico’s Director of Firefighters, alongside the Mexican State Government, to speak and help train the all-female team. She said: “It was an honor for me to train these incredible women in the use of thermal imaging camera technology for firefighting. I was able to provide a sense of consciousness and awareness around the possible dangers that firefighters experience on a daily basis and how our excellent thermal imaging cameras provide added safety and support during these encounters.”

General feedback from the event was that all women were thrilled to use Flir thermal imaging cameras, helping them outperform the naked eye and see through smoke—crucial for their everyday firefighting responsibilities.

At both state and national level, Mexico is clearly reaffirming its commitment to training, recognizing, and strengthening the role of women in firefighting roles. Flir is proud to support such an important cause by providing this kind of training. Female empowerment, not only in public safety but also in other traditionally male-dominated sectors such as automotive, defense, marine, security, and the professional trades - is paramount because it promotes economic growth, fosters more diverse perspectives, and boosts social progress by deconstructing barriers and championing gender equality.