Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Crash and Learn
By Henry Costo
Philadelphia's state-of-the art simulator is helping apparatus drivers discover their weaknesses before they hit the streets....
Worlds Apart
By Alan Saulsbury
International equipment on display at Interschutz showed that the U.S. has a long way to go regarding fire-apparatus innovation....
Worth the Trip
By Ronny J. Coleman
There are probably few events in which you can see a range of technology from basic fire brigade buckets all the way up to extremely sophisticated robots and aerial-surveillance devices — and an audience for both ends of the spectrum walking the halls together. That happens at Interschutz....
NFPA Accepting Comments for Alarm Code Revision
By Mary Rose Roberts
The National Fire Protection Association currently is accepting comments from the public for the 2013 edition of National Fire Alarm code, or, NFPA 72, that sets standards for fire alarm systems....
Talk is Cheap(er)
By Bill Purcell
Expensive trunk systems aren't the only solution for interoperable communications....
Harris Debuts Firefighter Locator
By Mary Rose Roberts
The GR-100 system has multiple components, including accuracy-enhancing algorithms, inertial sensors and GPS that lets users track personnel throughout an incident....
On the Fast Track
By Donny Jackson
NG-911 is about to become reality, but several speed bumps still need to be cleared before the vision finally comes to fruition....
A Mixed Bag
By Jim Barthold
When it comes to accountability systems, there's truly something for everyone....
N.H. en-Gauges in Extinguisher Protection
By Mary Rose Roberts
The proprietary software tracks the age, the in-service date and incident history, including usage and inspections, for each fire extinguisher....
Command at the Ready
By Janet Wilmoth (janet@firechief.com)
Incident command goes mobile and high tech — and takes rescue and hazmat with it....
The Invisible Flame
By James McLean & Dryver Huston
Hydrogen fires create new — and hard to detect — hazards for responders. But a new take on thermal imaging can help....
Tight Fit
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
The amount of gear in emergency vehicles is becoming a challenge for first responders....
A Work in Progress
By Gary Lichtenstein
Interoperability, which saves first-responder lives, should be further developed than it is....
What's That Smell?
By Mary Rose Roberts
A revision to the fire-protection standard that addresses indoor use of fuels brings chemical handheld detectors back into focus....
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
By Robert R. Rielage
Despite obstacles, this department has mustered the determination to not only learn but, more importantly, to implement change based on their final report of the incident that still is a work in progress....
Motorola Unveils Biometrics Monitor
By Glenn Bischoff
As many as 64 personnel can be monitored by a single application, and the solution can support multiple applications....
Beat the Heat
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
PASS devices add wireless capabilites, but reliability still is questioned....
Silence Isn't Golden
By James V. Potter, DDS
A custom earpiece to be used with handheld radios increases hearing acuity and aids those with hearing impairments....
The Excitement of Predictability
By Tom Carr
After a devastating fire that cost nine lives, sweeping changes are made to improve incident communications....
EmFinder helps find the lost
By Mary Rose Roberts
The device provides location information via the Phase II e911 technology....
California Agencies Find CAD Interoperability
By Mary Rose Roberts
Leslie Wilson, was working on an emergency continuity of operations plan when she realized her agency's alternate 911 dispatch center didn't have a CAD system that provided the interoperability needed....
NIST Tests PASS Device
By Mary Rose Roberts
The tests will determine its wireless reliability in fire environments....
NIST to Test 700 MHz Broadband Network for Public Safety
By Mary Rose Roberts
The network will let manufacturers, carriers and public safety agencies evaluate advanced broadband communications equipment and software tailored to first responders' needs...
Adjust Your Dial
By Ira Wisenfeld and Roger Blouch
A perfect system will have 100% coverage for the department's jurisdiction, proper FCC authorizations and SOPs that ensure help is available on the first transmission....
Simple Math
By Michael Fay
Understand these six simple rules and you not only will understand how to communicate performance, you'll also have a process for continuously realizing better performance from your organization....
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Mutual Aid is a blog of news and views from FIRE CHIEF staff and industry experts — a virtual conversation about the issues important to you as a fire service leader. |
In Service provides information on fleet management, apparatus specifying and maintenance. Keep abreast of new trends and changes to emergency vehicle apparatus. |
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