November 27, 2006

Department enhances technology

       White River Township firefighters have a new tool available to assist in fighting fires.  With recent advances in technology, firefighters now have access to volumes of information via portable computers installed in each of its primary apparatus and senior staff vehicles.  Each of these units is connected to the department's main computer server at Headquarters allowing the exchange of information from its primary database.  This database has up-to-the-minute information on each of the district's over 500 commercial occupancies, including data such as occupant loads, hydrant locations, hours of business, owner information, and fire flow calculations to name a few.

         In addition to the database information being available at the scenes of emergency incidents, the information is also utilized by the department's fire inspectors who are out performing inspections on a daily basis.  The new computers will allow instant access to previous violations as well as update compliance status on-the-fly.

         The computers also have a live broadband Internet connection allowing other capabilities such as satellite mapping, hazardous material information retrieval, and general Internet access.  In the coming months, the department will begin using the portable computers (that also double as Tablet PC's) to capture real-time on-scene call information instead of using the current pen and paper system.  A GPS system allowing dispatchers to dispatch closer units may also be added in the future.
 

           
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