When you’re advised to “embrace technology,” what does that mean to you? Which technologies have you adopted that make a difference in the service you provide to your community?
As chief of the Janesville (Wis.) Fire Department, I must understand and use important new technologies, and encourage others in my department to do the same. Additionally, fire service leaders must support the development of technologies–and the independent analysis of their effectiveness–that will benefit emergency services.
Improving Incident Command
Consider the impact of a global information system (GIS), a mapping technology that has greatly improved our knowledge of fireground conditions. With GIS we can map the inside of the structure, the terrain around it and any obstacles in our path.
Of course, the fire service also benefits from technologies such as thermal imaging, positive pressure ventilation techniques, training simulators and high-tech protective clothing. And we can look forward to new advances that will help incident commanders evaluate fire conditions far more accurately to ensure operations are safe.
Also important to know: As industry develops innovative fire protection technologies, the Building and Fire Research Lab (BFRL)–part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)–evaluates them using scientific research to create performance metrics for each new technology.
Broadband Spectrum
We’ve already seen the potential of broadband technology in data streams that advance our knowledge base and the effectiveness of our incident command. At the national level, the IAFC and the Public Safety Spectrum Trust are working to make a public safety broadband spectrum a reality in 2009. Are you ready?
An affordable broadband network for public safety will open the door to new technologies available today for fire departments. Some examples include transmitting video, photographs, blueprints and other information sent to and from an incident command post, as well as downloads from “smart buildings” en route to an alarm.
We’ll be able to use advanced paging systems and fireground accountability systems, such as biometrics and advanced location data. And broadband enhances GIS mapping capability for building locations, critical infrastructure, target hazards, transportation and water systems, and other important features.
IAFC Technology Council
This year, the IAFC started a new Technology Council Initiative to serve as a knowledge center for technological developments that may affect the fire and emergency service. The Council provides a forum for information and knowledge exchange between fire chiefs, public safety organizations and vendors. Among its projects:
- Knowledge Center: Building the foundation for a knowledge center for fire chiefs faced with making technology-related decisions.
- GIS Awareness & Fire Data Modeling: The Council is assisting with the creation of a coordinated geospatial data exchange to improve daily fire and emergency services operational capabilities.
- Communications: The Council supports the efforts of numerous public safety organizations to create an environment of open exchange to foster the development of interoperable, robust wireless communication systems.
- Green Technology: The Council is looking at projects that will help the fire service reduce its carbon footprint, including testing emissions-reduction technology and building energy-efficient fire stations.
In a trade as old as ours, we’ve seen the future and embraced it many times over. I’m excited by the potential for new technologies; they are our future.
