Wednesday, February 8, 2012
NIST Outlines Fire Service Initiatives
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed and launched a new Web site that outlines the Institute’s efforts to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards to better understand fire behavior, control and prevention and to improve operations, equipment, fire suppression, fire investigations and disaster response....
Charlotte Region Implements Incident Management Software
The Charlotte Urban Area Security Initiative has implemented nine standalone E Team systems to enhance emergency preparedness throughout the region....
The Time has Come to Win the Sprinkler Battle
[ Ronny J. Coleman ]
For more than 30 years, the fire service leaders have been working toward a goal that, until recently, was deemed by many as unachievable — a national code requirement for fire sprinklers....
It's Time to Set Aside Differences for Good
[ Ronny J. Coleman ]
I’m convinced that if Ben Franklin were alive today, he would still be stumping for fire protection — whether it be volunteer, paid or whatever....
Sprinkler Systems Have had a Long, Strange Trip
[ Ronny J. Coleman ]
The interesting thing about this revolutionary process is that there has been a generational change in the fire service. Each new generation is considering the same pilgrimage started by the early pioneers....
Ready, Aim, Fire
By Rick Markley
A German inventor turns surplus military equipment into a novel way to battle wildfires....
NIST Firebrand Ignition Research Sends Sparks Flying
By Douglas Page
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has gathered its resources to attempt to learn how to mitigate airborne fire threats....
Field VOC Detector Raises Sense of Achievement
By Douglas Page
Scientists at Georgia Tech have come up with a miniature sensor that uses polymer membranes deposited on a tiny silicon disk to measure pollutants present in aqueous or gaseous environments....
What's Hot? Brookhaven Refines Radiation Detection
By Douglas Page
Scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory have devised ways to improve the performance of radiation detectors, such as those used by first responders to locate and identify radioactive material....
Sandia Labs Introduces the IPAWS that Refreshes
By Douglas Page
Sandia National Laboratories has designed and deployed an alert and warning system that provides a more robust, multifaceted path to help ensure effective public communications during a federal, state, or local emergency....
A Second Look
FIRE CHIEF staff asked chief officers what products and equipment caught their attention. Many of their answers were products that relate to firefighter safety. Here are a dozen of these items....
Bellwe(a)ther
By Rick Markley
Forest Service meteorologist John Snook says monitoring and prediction were critical in wildland firefighting in Southern California....
Crossing Guard
By Dave Gross
Traffic signal preemption devices with RF technology help avoid collisions and decrease response time....
Shared Vision
By Michael St. John
A common operational picture increases incident commanders’ situational awareness and may save firefighters’ lives....
New Charity Donates 10 TICs at FRI
By Rick Markley
An existing program to donate thermal-imaging cameras to fire departments has gotten a shot in the arm from an Atlanta businessman. After watching the...
Company News
American LaFrance LLC named Ron Stewart as its new chief financial officer. Waterous recently made three organizational appointments in its fire pump/foam...
NFFF, Fireman's Fund Award DVD Grants
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. selected 11 fire departments to receive thermal imagers and other equipment from the Into the Fire Grant Program....
Image Conscious
By Hezedean Smith
The Orlando Fire Department built a program to install and replace thermal-imaging cameras on all its units....
NFFF, Fireman's Fund Announce Thermal Imager Grant
More than $100,000 is available in the first phase of the "Into the Fire" grant program. The allotment comes from initial DVD sales, T-shirt sales, screening events and other fund-raising related to the Into the Fire documentary....
First Responder Input Needed for Tech Ideas
The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate has established a program, TechSolutions, to support the first responder community by accelerating delivery of emerging technologies. TechSolutions is designed to collect technological requirements and provide solutions for first responders. ...
Colorado Springs Scales Many Peaks
Successful EMS, public-education, GIS and wildfire programs make the Colorado Springs (Colo.) Fire Department one to watch....
The Little Guys
By Chris Cavette
Weight and clearance restrictions are the driving forces behind the purchase and use of smaller-scale apparatus. ...
Task Master
By Chris DeChant
It may seem like there’s little time to answer those lingering e-mails, but a simple system can help you manage your inbox....
Urban Legends
By Mary Rose Roberts
A collaboration between a university and a fire department has yielded a new wireless sensor system using interactive floor plans that increases situational awareness and aids in decision-making....
Ambulance Chaser
With the rise in fire department patient transport, NFPA apparatus chair Donald Frazeur sees the need to look beyond current GSA standards....
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