It's
safe to say that smartphones are changing the world. Today, the way that we
work, organize our calendars, and even manage our money relies upon the use of new high-tech tools and apps. Innovative individuals
are designing apps today that can do more than simply keep boredom at bay or
assist with word processing tasks–many companies are now designing applications
with the needs of firefighters in mind. The number of potentially life-saving
apps is on the rise, with applications designed for use by firefighting teams launching
on a regular basis. Today, the community members most in need of instant
information are finding new ways of having it delivered straight to their
fingertips.
The next
time you're on the job and you're asking yourself whether there'd be an easier
way to access the resources you need, consider installing some of the following
apps into your smartphone.
1. Bryx911
"Bryx Inc."
recently released the Bryx911 app, intended to offer firefighters
the real-time intelligence that they need to deal with incident response. The
software works by delivering immediate real-time 911 alerts, alongside
information about scene intensity, location, and navigation tools to help
firefighters get to the scene in one piece. This app provides many ways for
firefighters to connect with other responders in their area.
2. Wildland Fire Map
The Wildland
Fire Map offers
detailed information about almost all wildland fire incidents. The app takes
data from the Terra MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard
the Terra satellite) which detects wildland fire hotspots to keep an eye on.
The app also provides users with active fire perimeter mapping and severe
weather warnings. This information helps not only wildland firefighters and
responders, but also nearby residents.
3. HazRef
HazRef 2008 app provides users with a useful
catalogue of information about almost 3,000 different types of hazardous
materials. The app also provides a database containing 61 guides for emergency
response which can be accessed on or offline. With a network connection, users
can determine isolation and protective action zones by mapping incidents.
Without a connection, users can browse the database according to hazard class,
UN number, and name.
4. eMedic
Firefighters are often
called upon to act as first responders in emergency situations. The first
responder in an emergency situation may need information about health and
medical assistance at the same time, and the app eMedic
is great to have on hand. eMedic has everything from calculators for blood
alcohol levels and blood pressure, to treatments for various emergency
situations, and medical anatomy diagrams.
5. Wildfire Today
The Wildfire Today app gives you access to fun and
informational fire-related articles from Wildfire Today and Wildland Fire
Lessons Learned. It also offers nationwide wildfire incident information from the
government hosted platform, InciWeb. The app’s easy-to-use swipe feature allows
you to sift through full-length articles and summarized data reports without
ever having to leave the app (though it does give you the option to visit the
original site). This is a great resource to get quick fire updates and stay
abreast of trending wildland fire news.
6. Firehouse Scheduler
The Firehouse Scheduler app, developed by Leaky Nozzle, won’t
be of much help in an emergency situation, but is invaluable in making the chaos
of a firefighting career more manageable. Install it onto your smartphone, and
you can start tracking vacation days, sick days, and custom schedules. It's
even possible to track paydays and overtime.
Firehouse
Scheduler can sync with data saved to an SD card, or Google calendar
information.
7. Flashlight Apps
One of the most useful
smartphone solutions out there is the iPhone flash app. Firefighters will understand
the advantages of having a flashlight always on hand. To access the flashlight all you need to do is
swipe across the screen to turn the light on, and then lock it with a double
tap.
Is There An App For That?
Although new technology and
smartphone apps have proven themselves to be useful in a wide range of situations,
their presence in the emergency services has perhaps the truest value. It’s easy
to get behind the rise of smartphone apps with the knowledge that some of them
could be keeping firefighters and citizens in danger, safe.
What do
you think about the increased number of firefighter apps? Do you think that
smartphones are becoming more useful to users?