Fighting fires is a time-honored, dangerous, and thoroughly fulfilling job for all the brave men and women who don the mask to put out fires made both by man and nature. When the firefighters are dealing with forest fires that cover literally acres of real estate, the danger levels escalate as roads become isolated and cut off from escape routes. In earlier times, firefighters who went out in such conditions ran the risk of running into an inescapable situation very quickly. As a wildfire spreads, any sudden change in wind direction or fuel source can create any number of alternative routes for the fire to spread. Once out in this position, firefighters were at the mercy of the fire. Today’s GPS and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) are removing some of the uncertainty that firefighters face as they go out.
Asset Tracking
The initial purpose of GPS and GIS systems on vehicles is to allow the company to keep tabs on where their vehicles are going, what they are doing, how long they are spending at different places, and trying to make their gas usage more efficient. The focus is usually on keeping track of the vehicles in order to make sure the employees are doing what they are supposed to. In a firefighting situation, using GPS and GIS technology on forest fire fighting dozers and tractors allows those in the command center to keep a better eye not on the vehicle, but on the people driving and operating it. The real asset in fire fighting is the people involved. It might hurt the tax payers’ wallets to lose a $100,000 piece of equipment, but human life is so much more valuable. That is the real purpose of using this technology.
Wildfires by Year, according to FEMA
| Year | Fires | Acres |
| 2012 | 67,774 | 9,326,238 |
| 2011 | 74,126 | 8,711,367 |
| 2010 | 71,971 | 3,422,724 |
| 2009 | 78,792 | 5,921,786 |
| 2008 | 78,979 | 5,292,468 |
| 2007 | 85,705 | 9,328,045 |
| 2006 | 96,385 | 9,873,745 |
| 2005 | 66,753 | 8,689,389 |
Table statistics from: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/estimates/wildfire.shtm
The Benefit
As trucks, tractors, and dozers go off into the forests to fight blazing fires, drivers and operators are at the mercy of the elements. If the operator is not familiar with the terrain, he can quickly become disoriented as the smoke spreads and ways out become blocked by fire. A person on the other end who is tracking the movement of the operators can help them to determine how to get out of a sticky situation and find a way back to safety. The use of the GPS and GIS technology allows for the command center to map out escape routes and determine where drivable road might turn into a swampy march, especially in low-lying areas like portions of Florida. A small difference in route might make a large difference in the outcome.
The Real Dangers
Not having GPS and GIS technology has cost the lives of many firefighters over the years. In 2011, two Florida Forest Rangers lost their lives when their dozer became stuck in the terrain and they couldn’t find their way out. In 2013, nineteen firefighters in Arizona lost their lives due to similar circumstances. Can it be said beyond a shadow of a doubt that GPS and GIS technology would have saved those individuals? Probably not, but it surely would have given them more of a fighting chance at survival. Firefighters are used to taking risks, but having this kind of technology really limits the actual amounts of risk they have to assume.
Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind
The GPS and GIS technology help allow for “eyes in the sky,” so to say, that real firefighters appreciate. Instead of being out on their own, they know that there is always someone watching out for them to help ensure that they come back safely. In addition to providing information about getting out safely, if the firefighters run into trouble, help can be sent to them. People back in the command center can monitor the path firefighters take to fight the fires and they can establish a safe way to come back to base or send out help along the same line. There are so many benefits to using GPS technology in firefighting.
Other Applications
While fighting forest fires is decidedly more dangerous than normal firefighting, this GPS and GIS technology can also give fire departments a boost in getting out to house fires quicker. GPS technology can increase the efficiency of travel to find the fastest route. Oftentimes in fires, time is the most important factor. Any time you can shave seconds and minutes off of a response time, you can help increase the chances of survival for the people involved in these fires.
GPS and GIS technology are only going to improve firefighting work over the years. As new and better GPS technology is created, firefighters will be able to work safer and faster than ever before. There will always be inherent dangers in this field of work, but making things safer will only help to protect the real asset involved: the firefighter.
Tracking the Real Assets: Fire Fighters
No comments:
Post a Comment