Thermal imaging technology has transformed firefighting tactics over the past decades, enhancing firefighters’ abilities to detect heat signatures invisible to the naked eye. While thermal imagers are commonly associated with search and rescue or fire attack, their role in overhaul is equally critical.

Manfred Kihn, discusses how firefighters should use thermal imagers during overhaul operations in this episode of TIC Talk.

Using a thermal imager during overhaul provides valuable “eyes” that detect hotspots still radiating heat but not visible due to smoke or debris. Thermal imaging enables firefighters to ensure a complete extinguishment, enhancing scene safety and reducing liability.

During active firefighting, thermal imagers seek large, intense heat sources: open flames, fire extension, possible victims trapped inside. In overhaul, the focus shifts to smaller pockets of heat, residual embers, and hidden hotspots.

Kihn explains that thermal imagers display heat using color scales or grayscale images. In basic black-and-white mode, white represents hot areas and black cold spots. Colorized imagers assign colors like yellow, orange, and red to indicate increasing temperatures. However, once the fire is mostly out, most of the scene will appear dark or gray, making subtle differences crucial to detect.

Any white or colorized hotspot that appears during overhaul warrants investigation. These may signal a residual ember or smoldering material that can cause rekindle.

Learn more about how thermal imagers are used in overhaul by listening to the full TIC Talk episode above.

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In Inside Fire Facilities, Chris Mc Loone sits down with Zach Willard, general manager of Fire Facilities, to discuss the critical role of live fire training towers in firefighter preparedness. Fire Facilities has been manufacturing steel live fire training towers for over 35 years, pioneering innovations that have shaped firefighter training nationwide.

Willard stresses that live fire training provides an irreplaceable experience that simulation technologies cannot match. “When you get into situations with heat, combustible gases, and smoke inside buildings, you don’t get that from simulated smoke or radiant heat lamps,” he explained.

Modern fires burn hotter and spread faster than they did decades ago due to changing combustible loads in homes and commercial spaces. Fire Facilities designs towers that create realistic fire environments, replicating conditions firefighters face on the job. The towers’ patented burn rooms, featuring either refractory boards or the innovative West Tech stainless-steel panel system, allow repeated burns while withstanding intense heat, sometimes reaching 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

The West Tech system, in particular, offers durability by flexing under heat and resisting thermal shock from firefighting water streams—a frequent pitfall in older training props. This innovation reduces maintenance downtime and enhances training longevity. In emphasizing safety within realism, Willard highlights how these design features prepare firefighters to recognize fire behavior and manage real emergency scenarios more confidently.

Safety features also extend to risk management on site. For example, advanced temperature monitoring systems—such as Scout and Fire Watchman thermocouples—track burn room heat in real time and relay data via cellular devices to safety officers who don’t need to be in hazardous zones. Emergency systems including exhaust fans and pull-stop controls facilitate quick evacuation if conditions become unsafe. These integrated safeguards help departments maintain control over live fire training operations and reduce incidents that could halt training progress.

Looking ahead, Willard identified decontamination (decon) areas and advances in technology as shaping the future of live fire training. Decon facilities are growing in importance to manage carcinogen exposure from modern synthetic materials burned during training. On the tech front, partnerships with companies like Simtek are advancing gas-fueled props and thermal imaging tools that provide instant feedback on fire suppression and search patterns within training towers.

For more information, visit www.firefacilities.com.

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The Moncks Corner Rural Fire Department is mourning the loss of Deputy Chief Jimmy Townsend, who died in the line of duty early Sunday morning. WCBD reports Townsend suffered a fatal cardiac event just hours after responding to a call.

Townsend had served with the department since 1990, and this November would have marked his 35th year of service in Berkeley County. Colleagues described him as a mentor, leader, and friend who was always willing to share his knowledge and step in to help others.

Firefighters say his legacy of commitment, service, and leadership will continue to guide those who worked alongside him.

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Years in the making, the Wheeling (WV) Fire Department has officially opened its new headquarters with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on recently in East Wheeling, the city said in a press release.

Ground was broken on the $9 million facility, located at 1700 Wood Street, in August 2022. The 24,860-square-foot, single-story structure replaces the department’s former headquarters in Center Wheeling.

“This new facility is not just a building—it’s a long-term investment in our community’s safety,” said Fire Chief Jim Blazier. “The design and layout give our team the tools they need to train, rest, and respond quickly to emergencies. I am grateful to everyone who has kept this project going over the last several years. Special thanks to our city manager and administration, past and present city council, and retired Fire Chief Larry Helms, who played a significant role in getting this project started, as well as all our firefighters who have been patiently awaiting this day.”

The new headquarters features space for additional apparatus, a hose drying and training tower, a large training room, offices for command staff, a fitness center, decontamination and enhanced firefighting safety areas, and individual bunk rooms for on-duty firefighters.

“The opening of the new headquarters is an important step forward for the city of Wheeling,” said City Manager Robert Herron. “This state-of-the-art facility ensures our firefighters have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively, while reaffirming our ongoing investment in public safety.”

The department had been based in the lower level of the Center Wheeling Parking Garage since 1978. That structure was demolished in 2024. During construction of the new station, administrative offices were relocated to the former B.J. Sumner Jones Armory Reserve Center in Clator, and suppression crews were temporarily reassigned to other stations throughout the city.

“Today’s ribbon cutting marks more than the opening of a new building—it represents progress, pride, and a continued commitment to the people of Wheeling,” said Mayor Denny Magruder. “This headquarters stands as a symbol of the trust we place in our fire department and the promise that our city will always invest in the safety and well-being of our residents.”

The building was designed by M&G Architects and Engineering of Wheeling. Construction was completed by Great Lakes Contracting.

The Wheeling Fire Department will now fully operate from the East Wheeling location, marking the beginning of a new era for fire protection and emergency response in the city.

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The City of Kissimmee (FL) Fire Department officially launched a new cutting-edge alerting system that helps the department respond to emergencies more quickly and accurately, the agency said in a Facebook post.

Kissimmee has activated a new Fire Station Alerting (FSA) system where a 911 dispatcher simply types the emergency information into a computer, it then goes to a gateway, and is then sent to all of the responding fire stations simultaneously, dispatching everyone due on that call. The notice is also sent to firefighter radios and cell phones.

The Phoenix G2 alerting system is “zoned alerting” meaning that only those firefighters that are to respond to that emergency are alerted.

Smart in-station technology features LED lights that change color according to the unit being dispatched, according to a clickorlando.com report. Display panels provide real-time call information, and turnout time clocks in each apparatus bay help crews monitor and improve response times.

Here’s how it makes a difference:

• Clearer call alerts
• Faster response times
• Direct notifications to the right crews

“This system ensures the right team receives the correct information instantly, so we can be on the way with the tools needed to help even faster than before,” the post said. “We’re committed to staying at the forefront of technology to keep our community safe.”

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