Wheeling firefighters enter the Traylor Training Center, where a fire burns behind metal doors.

WHEELING — Wheeling firefighters spent time this week getting acquainted with some new technology, with new handheld thermal imaging cameras offering an upgrade on visibility as they enter a dangerous environment.

Fire crews trained at the Traylor Training Center on Wheeling Island Monday and Tuesday on the use of the cameras, learning their functions and getting their hands dirty on controlled fires.

Instructors from Insight Training were brought in to teach not only how the cameras work, but also to keep the firefighters mindful of their surroundings — the cameras can tell how hot a door or wall might be, but can’t alert to debris or a fire hose in their path.

Assistant Fire Chief Jim Blazier said the new cameras were received through a Community Development Block Grant, and had come several months ago. However, they were only just recently able to set up training on the cameras, and would be rolling out for all future calls with them.

“The cameras that we just received replace old technology that was very limited. The new technology has a lot of accelerated features that allow us to do more efficient search and rescue, but also more tactical usage, such as where fire is in a building and predicting the deterioration of an environment once we’re inside,” Blazier said. “It’s going to help keep our citizens safe and keep firefighters safe.”

Blazier said the training was meant to catch firefighters up on using all features of the cameras, using them to their fullest potential.

“The goal of this training today is teaching all of our members how to use all of the features of the camera, to make it more efficient for us to use,” he added. “Because it’s new technology, we wanted the experts to come show us how it’s done. … Every unit in the fleet is now equipped with thermal imaging, which wasn’t the case before.”