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21 March 2025
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Technology: Nine technologies that will help transform the fire service
Smart technologies like artificial intelligence, mixed reality or autonomous vehicles are being deployed by first responders in ways hardly imagined even just a decade ago. As firefighters grow accustomed to current technologies, other innovations such as use of big data, biotelemetry, facial recognition software, 360 video and the leveraging of gaming technology are beginning to emerge. The integration of these systems will help streamline everything from pre-planning to emergency mitigation to post-incident analysis.
However, adoption of this technology will depend on usability and intuitive interfaces that allow seamless integration into current operations. For example, applications such as 3M Scott Connect Monitor automatically pull air management data with very little effort from an incident commander and put real-time responder information at the IC’s fingertips.
“Technology is only as good as its usability,” said Jerry Shanko, 3M Global Portfolio Manager, SCBA Accountability and Software. “Bells and whistles are great but if it’s not intuitive and doesn’t solve problems, then firefighters are much less likely to adopt new technologies.”
Here’s a list of nine technologies that could potentially change the way firefighters do their jobs.
1) Advanced biotelemetry
In addition to heart rate, biotelemetry will provide knowledge of a firefighter’s individual and specific activity levels that will help notify managers how hard interior crews are working. Coupled with current connected monitoring of personnel and integrated with air management, advanced biotelemetry will keep responders safer in an immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) environment.
2) Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Future AI will provide real-time traffic analytics for time “closest” dispatches, object recognition through computer vision, and will warn interior crews of pending flash-over and backdraft environments created on physics-based computational computing.
3) Virtual, Mixed, and Augmented Reality (VR/MxR/AR)
The focus is to provide citizen education, responder training and emergency response enhancement through these emerging platforms. Children will soon learn stop, drop and roll in virtual reality through haptic touch and digital scent. Responders will mitigate imagined and genuine emergencies with technology developed for the gaming industry, leveraged for real-time visual awareness in visually immersive environs. As an example, the New Zealand Fire Service, in an effort to help residents plan to escape their home safely in a fire, utilised 360-degree video and VR technology to create a unique and engaging experience.
4) Autonomous vehicles
On the ground and in the air programmable vehicles will transport first responders and equipment before, during and post-incident and reduce human-error caused collisions. These wheeled and winged vehicles will also play an important role in collecting and delivering data to responders via GPS, remote sensing and 3D 360- degree imagery capabilities.
5) Computer vision, edge detection and object recognition
Several systems have been developed by public (NASA) and private groups that allow firefighters in-facepiece vision, providing digitized and contrasted edge detection, in addition to thermal imaging. These new systems allow onboard object recognition that will transmit warnings to unaware firefighters and advise of imminent collapse of floors and roof assemblies.
6) Facial recognition software
This type of software is already assisting law enforcement in protecting those they serve. In the future, fire and medical personal will use this form of computer vision to allow a responder to know an unconscious patient’s identity, next of kin, treatment permission and medical history.
7) 360 Video
These cameras are being used below water, from the ground and in the sky and can educate citizens and responders in many aspects of fire and life safety. Via social media they already provide visual displays in real-time that allow responders to intellectually understand active shooter, flood, fire and collapse scenes prior to arrival.
8) Big Data and the Internet of Things (BD/IoT)
Responders will have advanced situational awareness systems that utilise various sets of data and, along with multi-sensor fusion and the IoT, that will have lifesaving advantages, both for emergency personal and potential victims as well. BD/IOT will remain a focus area where network security is a known and essential subject in these developing platforms.
9) SMART Cities
These types of initiatives around the globe bring it all together by providing 3D/360 digital assets for fire prevention, response mitigation and investigations. The use of digital design has been a staple for decades and fire prevention bureaus, enabled by the advent of FirstNet and 5G cellular technology, will be part of a previously unimaginable set of target safety maps that will interface with responder’s phones, tablets, facepieces and augmented reality; akin to “Ironman” stylised safety systems.
Source: SafetyNow
However, adoption of this technology will depend on usability and intuitive interfaces that allow seamless integration into current operations. For example, applications such as 3M Scott Connect Monitor automatically pull air management data with very little effort from an incident commander and put real-time responder information at the IC’s fingertips.
“Technology is only as good as its usability,” said Jerry Shanko, 3M Global Portfolio Manager, SCBA Accountability and Software. “Bells and whistles are great but if it’s not intuitive and doesn’t solve problems, then firefighters are much less likely to adopt new technologies.”
Here’s a list of nine technologies that could potentially change the way firefighters do their jobs.
1) Advanced biotelemetry
In addition to heart rate, biotelemetry will provide knowledge of a firefighter’s individual and specific activity levels that will help notify managers how hard interior crews are working. Coupled with current connected monitoring of personnel and integrated with air management, advanced biotelemetry will keep responders safer in an immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) environment.
2) Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Future AI will provide real-time traffic analytics for time “closest” dispatches, object recognition through computer vision, and will warn interior crews of pending flash-over and backdraft environments created on physics-based computational computing.
3) Virtual, Mixed, and Augmented Reality (VR/MxR/AR)
The focus is to provide citizen education, responder training and emergency response enhancement through these emerging platforms. Children will soon learn stop, drop and roll in virtual reality through haptic touch and digital scent. Responders will mitigate imagined and genuine emergencies with technology developed for the gaming industry, leveraged for real-time visual awareness in visually immersive environs. As an example, the New Zealand Fire Service, in an effort to help residents plan to escape their home safely in a fire, utilised 360-degree video and VR technology to create a unique and engaging experience.
4) Autonomous vehicles
On the ground and in the air programmable vehicles will transport first responders and equipment before, during and post-incident and reduce human-error caused collisions. These wheeled and winged vehicles will also play an important role in collecting and delivering data to responders via GPS, remote sensing and 3D 360- degree imagery capabilities.
5) Computer vision, edge detection and object recognition
Several systems have been developed by public (NASA) and private groups that allow firefighters in-facepiece vision, providing digitized and contrasted edge detection, in addition to thermal imaging. These new systems allow onboard object recognition that will transmit warnings to unaware firefighters and advise of imminent collapse of floors and roof assemblies.
6) Facial recognition software
This type of software is already assisting law enforcement in protecting those they serve. In the future, fire and medical personal will use this form of computer vision to allow a responder to know an unconscious patient’s identity, next of kin, treatment permission and medical history.
7) 360 Video
These cameras are being used below water, from the ground and in the sky and can educate citizens and responders in many aspects of fire and life safety. Via social media they already provide visual displays in real-time that allow responders to intellectually understand active shooter, flood, fire and collapse scenes prior to arrival.
8) Big Data and the Internet of Things (BD/IoT)
Responders will have advanced situational awareness systems that utilise various sets of data and, along with multi-sensor fusion and the IoT, that will have lifesaving advantages, both for emergency personal and potential victims as well. BD/IOT will remain a focus area where network security is a known and essential subject in these developing platforms.
9) SMART Cities
These types of initiatives around the globe bring it all together by providing 3D/360 digital assets for fire prevention, response mitigation and investigations. The use of digital design has been a staple for decades and fire prevention bureaus, enabled by the advent of FirstNet and 5G cellular technology, will be part of a previously unimaginable set of target safety maps that will interface with responder’s phones, tablets, facepieces and augmented reality; akin to “Ironman” stylised safety systems.
Source: SafetyNow