AS soon as the door closed everything went pitch black. Voices of the other firefighters were muffled and the thick haze of smoke cut visibility to zero.

Turning on the new Argus 3 camera given this week to the crew at Kidderminster was like switching on a lightbulb - everybody around took shape on the monitor - even metal doors and objects that could easily be tripped over burst into vision. Leading firefighter Mick Goodband shows how to use the new thermal imaging camera.

The firefighters at Kidderminster said anything which could pick up heat would show on the screen in varying colours.

Bright red was fire, they said, and this is where the camera would prove its worth.

It's a disorientating experience having to sit inside a hot suit carrying a heavy backpack- add blazing heat to this, and the knowledge that your air will soon run out, and it becomes clear how time is crucial in a firefighter's job.

Now these cameras will speed up their job to find people in danger - as well as keeping members of the crew safe from harm.