Chapter 8

Utilizing Available Technology

8-1

Introduction

• Change is difficult when introducing new technology

• Technology is most appropriately used for safety

• Use in conjunction with training and common sense

• Technology doesn’t compensate for bad decisions

• When we rely exclusively on technology, we set ourselves up for failure

8-2

Life Safety Initiative 8

Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety

8-3

Life Safety Initiative 8

OVERRELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY

• Traffic preemption systems• Controls traffic signals

• Putting faith in technology

• Collisions while responding

• Still have to checkintersection traffic

8-4

Life Safety Initiative 8

UTILIZATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Overview• Consolidating technology to raise safety level

• Four specific ways• Present needs• Current trends• Military applications• Statistics

Cont.8-5

Life Safety Initiative 8

UTILIZATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Present needs• Research on a specific need

• Convince you

• Fire and EMS advertisers

• Ads display unsafe acts as heroic

Cont.8-6

Life Safety Initiative 8

UTILIZATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Current trends• Going green

• Trickle-down effect on emergency responders

• Push to improve safety

• Mandatory equipment

Cont.8-7

Life Safety Initiative 8

UTILIZATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Military applications• Department of Defense

• Crossover applications

• Military technology adopted

• Possibilities in the future

Cont.8-8

Life Safety Initiative 8

UTILIZATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Statistics• Opinions not taken into account

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) example

• Precision Indoor/Outdoor Positioning System

• 3D map in real time

8-9

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Stress and overexertion• Overview

• Key strategies• LODD’s• Stress, and overexertion

• Medical monitoring

• Incident integration

Cont. 8-10Courtesy of Lt. Rob Gandee

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Motor vehicle crash• Overview

• Vehicle safety

• Emergency response

• Crash investigation

Cont.8-11

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Falls• Overview

• Apparatus

• Ladders

• Aerial devices

• Buildings

Cont.8-12

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Being struck by or in contact with objects• Overview

• Struck by vehicle

• Struck by equipment

• Struck by debris

Cont.8-13Courtesy of Kenny Pritt Jr.

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Flashover• Overview

• Simultaneous ignition of room contents

• Warning devices on gear

• NIST completed numerous tests

• Forecast times not realistic

Cont.8-14

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Flashover• Simulators

• Realistic gear

• Realistic movement

• Realistic environment

• Realistic response

Cont.8-15

Courtesy of Lt. Rob Gandee

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Being caught, trapped, or lost• Overview

• Improvements with PASS

• Collapse

• Detectors installed in truss system

• Robots

Cont.8-16

Life Safety Initiative 8

TYPES OF LINE OF DUTY DEATHS

• Communication• Intra-squad communications

• Interoperability

• Satellites

• Software defined radio (SDR)

• Cognitive radio

8-17

Summary

• Technology should be viewed as a vital layer of protection

• Technology does have limitations• Technology continues to be an asset to emergency

service• Continue to insist on rigorous testing and consider its

application to emergency services• New technology must be trained on and used in

conjunction with the other tools8-18