Recently, we invited Captain Chris Ingram of the Santa Clara County Fire Department to share his experience on the Oroville Dam Incident. There were a lot of lessons to be learned that we wanted to share with everyone to show a better look into the way technology is making a difference in ways we hadn't originally anticipated, and we thought were interesting.
Editor's note: Special thanks to our friends at ConStarUAS, Silent Falcon, and Overwatch for putting a system together that highlights some of the best thinking in this field. We believe the future of these platforms is the ability to combine the aircraft, sensor, and information all into one package that is easily used and deployed by First Responders. This kind of collaboration is a welcome addition to a space that is filled with siloed solutions.
Small fires can turn into big fires, which can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of property damages. Luckily, we live in a world where newer and better technology is always available. In the world of wildfires, firefighters are discovering the potential of drones and unmanned aerial systems/vehicles to detect these small flare ups before they become big forest fires. Here's how it works.
It's been exceptionally dry here in Colorado. We've seen very little rain or snow in the last several months, and it's creating the potential for an explosive wildfire season. Fire departments all over Colorado are taking the time to prepare themselves in the coming weeks for whatever the future may bring, and several agencies have already deployed Intterra's Situation Analyst (SA) & its Field Tool.
We always get so excited to bring you new information about a different member of our terrific staff every two weeks. At Intterra, each employee plays a uniquely valuable role. We really couldn't exist without everybody on the team. As part of our get to know the team series, we invite you to meet Emily Carpenter this week. Emily handles the transmission and representation of geospatial information in SA for Intterra, and she makes a huge difference in our day-to-day operations. Aside from being great at what she does, she's a really important person in our lives overall. Here's what you need to know.
It takes a lot to bring safety to firefighters battling wildfires. This is just a fact of life. To know the real time location of firefighting resources and the real time location of the fire so you can allocate resources the right way to keep first responders safe can be challenging. By bringing these two pieces of information together, you create the ability to prevent firefighter fatalities by enhancing situational awareness.
Many of the large wildfires you read about in the news last year have had contributions from a system from Klamath County, Oregon. Central Oregon fire experts have been pushing the boundaries to bring together these ideas in a modern, effective way. They developed a common sense, deployable system. Based on years of senior fire management experience drawn from vast experience, they create technology that works for locals, and ties their efforts directly in with large state and Federal systems as well. And they bring it all together to keep the wildfires from causing any fatalities or too much damage. The system shows the location of firefighters, no matter where they are in the county, so that they can allocate resources to the wildfire the right way. Many other states and counties are using versions of this system. However, the Klamath County Situation Analyst (KCSA) goes above and beyond.
It's clear that drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are already an important piece of technology for the fire service and for emergency responders. Check out this commentary on drones and UAV's in the fire service from our good friend Chris Ingram, the Fire Captain over at Santa Clara County Fire Department.
We always get so excited to bring you new information about a different member of our terrific staff every two weeks. At Intterra, each employee plays a uniquely valuable role. We really couldn't exist without everybody on the team. As part of our get to know the team series, we invite you to meet Krista West this week. Krista is an Account Manager and the Remote Sensing Scientist here at Intterra, and she makes a huge difference in our day-to-day operations. Aside from being great at what she does, she's a really important person in our lives overall. Here's what you need to know.
There's nothing we enjoy more than sharing the merits of the fine people that are part of the Intterra family any chance we get. However, this isn't your standard 'Get to Know the Team' type of post, as we're overjoyed to express the just how excited we are to have our new Chief Operations Officer, Molly Hausmann. We love the vision and capability Molly brings to her new executive role, and we intend to share a little more about her coming into this demanding role at Intterra.
GUEST BLOGGER: Lt. Chris Rogers, Kirkland Fire Department, WA. (Editor's note: A special thanks to Lt. Rogers for taking the time to share his insights on the future of technology, preplanning, and geospatial issues facing our industry. The opportunity to exchange ideas with the brightest minds in the fire service is one of the best aspects of our job here at Intterra.)
The future is looking bright and shiny when it comes to all of the new technology becoming available to public safety officials. It's exciting to think that the advanced systems currently emerging will be perfected in the coming years and even more powerful technology will be developed.
For folks in the fire service, some of the most promising breakthroughs are in the area or geospatial mapping and the tremendous advantages it will provide to everyone on the ground. In the next five years, you are going to start to see increasing use of geospatial data to enhance the safety of responders and give them the edge they need to better protect people and prevent tragedies.
GUEST BLOGGER: Holger Durre, Planning and Analysis Chief, Poudre Valley Fire Authority. (Editor's note: A big thank you from us to BC Durre for his insight.Talk to anyone in the Fire Service about analysis and accreditation for very long, and his name will come up. Valued widely for his "roll up your sleeves" work ethic in this area, Holger represents a refreshing new voice.)
The fire service is changing more rapidly now than it has in the entirety of its existence. If your ears aren’t perking up in regards to the influence of this changing environment, I would ask you to unbuckle your radio strap, postpone your next web surfing for fire videos, and tune in long enough to listen to the sweet sound of the winds of change. They are prevailing, and they will be with us as long as any of us serving in this profession will be around. For instance, the role that pre-hospital medicine, data analysis, and the science of fire behavior are playing is just the tip of the iceberg. Understand and know that these issues already have, and will continue to, change our industry profoundly in the years to come. However, as a culture, we have a significant blind spot that has the potential to impact our constituents if we don’t look over our shoulders.
