It’s a great time to be involved in the fire service as technology evolves and research validates some thoughts and debunks other ideas that could threaten a firefighter’s life on the fireground. While all this information is being released in a small window—as compared to the past—it is hard to keep up with the most recent findings, but that’s what the fire service media and certain organizations are doing.
At a recent trade show, several companies were displaying the outcomes after years and years of research and design (R&D) to bring firefighters the latest equipment. And with technology evolving rapidly, the company representatives said fire departments are not sure when to buy equipment because the next model, filled with all sorts of new widgets and gadgets, could be available months after they make their purchase. That does not mean their equipment is obsolete, it is just like the rollout of a new model of cell phone—the latest model has the best features from past models but includes upgrades because rapidly changing technology allows for new versions quicker than ever before.
When I started working at Firehouse, the Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) alarm was a small box that was clipped to your SCBA waist strap that you had to turn on and off manually, if you remembered. After a period without movement, it would sound, alerting others on the fireground that somebody, somewhere, stopped moving. If you did not activate it, nobody would know you were in distress.
Recent innovations have included major upgrades to the integrated PASS alarms that turn on as soon as the SCBA bottle is opened and air begins flowing. The latest round of innovations, including some still in the rollout stages, allows critical air supply levels to trigger a warning that pings the incident commander on their laptop or mobile device, and can allow members to acknowledge personal accountability reports without increasing radio traffic with the click of a button. The location of a firefighter can also be pinpointed and, with the next generation of technology, display the direction of travel that a rapid intervention crew needs to take to get to the downed firefighter. Streaming options from the built-in thermal imager help monitor conditions around the downed member as well.
When talking with the manufacturers, they are trying to be as transparent as possible about the next iteration of their equipment so that you, their customers, can make the best purchase possible. While they are in the R&D phase for the latest rollout, the teams are working to determine how they can retrofit existing models with the new features. It is not always possible, but several manufacturers are able to offer upgrades that will not take the current equipment off the line and out of the hands of the responders for long durations.
These changes are not only for the PASS alarms, but apparatus and related components, PPE from head to foot, SCBA, thermal imagers, drones, nozzles and a myriad of other equipment. If you are not sure what is out there, visit the Firehouse.com Buyer’s Guide for the latest product information, or contact the manufacturer’s directly—they have a wealth of resources to illustrate what their equipment can do and how it can help your department. The purchasing process can be overwhelming, but there are many people who would like to help you. All you need to do is ask.
Expo Update
Firehouse Expo 2019 is shaping up to offer another great education program, with several instructors making their first appearance in Nashville, Oct. 8–12. The conference also features several new classes focused on topics including operational mindsets, fires involving food trucks and developing a wellness physical program for firefighters. Allen Richards, a former fire chief and current airline pilot, will dive into the topic of crew resource management and share lessons from both industries to make your crews better informed. In response to feedback from Firehouse Expo 2019, this year’s program features a series of full-day and shorter sessions to help incoming and current company officers become strong but understanding leaders. These sessions cover personnel management and basic principles of leadership, plus critical-thinking and fireground command.
