Every summer we are faced with the big problem of wildfires and firefighter safety. Unfortunately, the number of fires increases every year due to deforestation and climate change.

According to an analysis by WWF and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in April 2020, the number of fire alerts worldwide increased by 13% compared to 2019.

The fires are becoming more violent and uncontrollable and new solutions are required in the prevention and, above all, in the protection of the people who fight against the fire.

Injuries will always be part of a profession that responds to emergency calls for help under hazardous situations where victims’ lives are often on the line. So much is weighing on the firefighter to perform the job to the best of their ability, under the most demanding situations.

The knowledge and proper use of personal protective clothing and equipment within the firefighters group is essential to avoid accidents and reduce the accident rate in fire fighting.

In the specific case of firefighters, forestry agents and civil protection agents who carry out this work, as well as volunteers, must be equipped with the appropriate PPE to extinguish fires. Among them are: clothing for protection against heat and flames, helmet, footwear and gloves for firefighters, filtering mask, goggles, neck cover and other very useful accessories, among others.

Knowing and promoting the proper use of this equipment helps reduce the rate of accidents and accidents derived from extinguishing tasks.

How The Internet Of Things Can Help Firefighters Save Lives

When it comes to putting out fire, time is often the most important factor to consider. Time, and information. The more data about the area is available to firefighters, the more they can operate effectively, saving lives and limiting the damages, and not putting themselves at risk.

If fire brigades, instead of relying heavily on the experience and judgment of the incident commander–as it often happens–could base their decisions on the data systematically and scientifically collected on the scene, the results would be much effective and positive.

Sensors such as our NGD-One, embedded in personal protection equipment, can track the location and health condition of the fireworker, which can mean save his/her life.