First respondersDigital database, tablets to provide Houston firefighters with fire scene-relevant information
Firefighters in the greater Houston region will soon rely on tablets to provide information about certain buildings before they arrive at the scene of a fire. An anti-terrorism grant awarded by DHS has paid for the development of a digital database of high-risk structures, including buildings which are critical to the state and city daily operations. The tablets will replace binders full of papers stored in the back of fire engines and command vehicles, which were rarely used because they were difficult to reach while en route to a scene.
Firefighters in the greater Houston region will soon rely on tablets to provide information about certain buildings before they arrive at the scene of a fire. An anti-terrorism grant awarded by DHS has paid for the development of a digital database of high-risk structures, including buildings which are critical to the state and city daily operations. The tablets will replace binders full of papers stored in the back of fire engines and command vehicles, which were rarely used because they were difficult to reach while en route to a scene.
“Those had really good information, but you only had time to access them about an hour into an incident,” said Richard Mann, assistant chief for Houston Fire Department (HFD). “(The new database) will tell you what you need to know in the first two minutes at the scene.’”
The Houston Chronicle reports that the digital database, which includes photos relevant to firefighting decisions, is a response to internal department recommendations for fire officials to improve the quality of planning before being called to a fire. “Now, we’ll be able to know in advance what hazards may be there for firefighters,” said Alvin White, interim president of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association. “It also will allow the fire command on the outside of the building to have information that could keep the crew inside from making crucial mistakes.”
Once implemented, firefighters will know the location and water flow rates of hydrants, details on construction types that affect how fast a fire spreads, and building floor plans highlighting entrances or gas line shut off valves. “Hopefully we might be able to guide our people inside a smoky building a little bit more,” said HFD District Chief Jeff Cook.
The digital database, which is based on a security software and analytics application designed by Virginia-based Haystax Technologies, Inc., will be available to fire crews with the HFD in the next few weeks, followed by crews in Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, and Brazoria counties next year. The same software has been used by law enforcement agencies and security crews providing security at events like the Super Bowl and the Republican National Convention.
The HFD database will cover roughly 2,000 entries which were converted from hardcopies, and the information for those locations will be updated during the system’s first year before additional structures are added. Kenneth Willette, spokesman for the National Fire Protection Association, points out that regardless of format, utilizing information about high-risk buildings could undercut the leading cause of deaths among firefighters: “lack of situational awareness.”
“Are there hazardous chemicals? Are there folks who might have difficulty evacuating the building? Is there a form of truss construction that could undermine building stability?” Willette asked. “All of those elements inform tactical decisions that could influence how long firefighters stay in a building.”
