Wednesday, February 8, 2012
2010 Decade Forecast: Sighs of the Times
Compiled by Janet Wilmoth (janet@firechief.com)
FIRE CHIEF asked leading experts to predict how the next decade will unfold for American fire and emergency services. The responses were as unique as the respondents, but one thing is clear: there will be no shortage of challenges....
2010 Decade Forecast: Booming Woes
By Denis Onieal, Superintendent, National Fire Academy
This either will be the best opportunity for the fire service or the worst — it's our choice. Our future over the next 10 to 20 years will be solely dependent upon whether leaders and their organizations are prepared....
2010 Decade Forecast: Emerging Economy
By Rob Brown, Chief, Stafford County (Va.) Fire Department
While the economy gave us the best of times and the worst of times over the past decade, one truth remained constant — the American fire service is every community's all-hazards solution....
2010 Decade Forecast: Expanded EMS
By Gary Ludwig, Deputy Chief, Memphis (Tenn.) Fire Department, and Chairman, IAFC EMS Section
The fire service's role in delivering EMS will continue to grow and expand over the next five to 10 years....
Robotics as First Response: Q&A with NIST's Dr. Kate Remley
By Mary Rose Roberts
Kate Remley, an electronics engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), addresses how robotics measure up during search-and-rescue incidents, issues with interference and future trends....
The Best Teacher
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
Every kid dreams about what they're going to become when they grow up. One of my dreams was to be a firefighter....
Number Crunchers
By Ken Crooks
Taking a cue from business, this Texas department took a hard look at response data when determining resource reallocation....
Strong with the Wind
By Dr. Ed Brotak
In extreme weather conditions, fire control is difficult — if not impossible....
SuperCritical Air Pack Lightens Firefighters' Load
By Mary Rose Roberts
Colorado State University researchers will use an existing device from Niwot Technologies that can cool firefighters as they work....
ReconRobotics Unveils Rescue Robot
By Mary Rose Roberts
ReconRobotics introduced the Recon Scout Rescue, a 1.3-pound reconnaissance robot that can be used to locate victims, explosive devices or hazardous materials. Once deployed, the robot transmits real-time video to operators working the incident, said David Gustafson, the company’s director of commercial sales. ...
Virtual Reality
By Mary Rose Roberts (maryrose.roberts@penton.com)
The Houston Fire Department spends millions on an action-packed simulator warehouse....
Fully Loaded
By Janet Wilmoth (janet@firechief.com)
This Texas fire department worked closely with the city's IT department to spec a state-of-the-art command vehicle....
RadioSTAT Offers Lost Piece of Interoperability
By Ronny J. Coleman
RadioSTAT uses portable road signs to instruct motorists to tune to a special AM frequency when there is critical information. The signs can be placed in strategic locations and can advise the public on very specific behaviors....
Chaos Theory
By Glenn Bischoff (glenn.bischoff@penton.com)
Protocols and intuitive managers are key to reducing dispatcher pressure in 911 call centers....
In-Building Blocks
By Lynnette Luna
Municipalities finally have the tools to push in-building public-safety communications throughout the country, but cost and complexity threaten to slow the process....
The Best Defense
By William F. Jenaway
How to protect your department's facilities from vandalism and fire....
CFD Turns Trucks into Mobile Hot Spots
By Mary Rose Roberts
The technologies installed turn the trucks into mobile hot spots that support voice, video and data transmission from the vehicles to the city's OEMC...
Electric Grid, Emergency Communications Vulnerable to Electromagnetic Weapons
By Mary Rose Roberts
Gale Nordling, president and CEO of Emprimus, recently testified before the Congressional Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, Science and Technology about how electromagnetic devices can be used against public infrastructure, specifically the electric grid....
Are We There Yet?
By Donny Jackson
Public-safety communications infrastructure has improved greatly since 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. But questions persist as to whether the policies and plans currently in place are adequate for another event of that magnitude....
Research Institute Unveils Firefighter Tracking Prototype
By Mary Rose Roberts
Worcester Polytechnic Institute announced a prototype to track firefighters on scene is in the testing phase and — once it is proven — will be available to the market in approximately two years....
Pass it on
By Paul Wormeli and Andrea A. Walter
A federal program aims to standardize information collection and sharing across emergency agencies....
Dress to Protect
By Donna Brehm
The process of donning turnout gear is simple — the technology and principles behind it aren't....
Infrared's Evolution
By Janet Wilmoth (janet@firechief.com)
Thermal imagers have decreased in size and cost — but not in popularity — since their early days as a military tool....
Trend-Setters
By Ed Ballam
New features inside and out are designed to keep emergency-vehicle occupants safer....
OnSite ERT Tracks Firefighters at Scene
By Mary Rose Roberts
ERT Systems recently released OnSite ERT, a rapidly deployable system for tracking emergency personnel and equipment at a scene, said company president Dennis Carmichael. ...
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