TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS ROBOT FIREFIGHTER UNVEILED

A remote-controlled robot re ghter that can work for 20 hours has been unveiled at a tech show in Dubai by the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence.

e ermite Robot has a two waterspouts, the larger of which can pump 2,500 gallons of water per minute, a specialised arm in front to push away obstacles weighing up to 1.5tonnes, and a hook with retractable wire to pull items weighing up to 1.5tonne.

It runs on diesel and can operate for 20 hours without need for a re ll, can be controlled with a remote from a distance of up to 300 metres, and includes a fan that can be used to expel smoke.

It is also equipped with a temperature sensor, cameras and wheels that allow it to run on rough terrain, including train tracks.

“ e biggest bene t of using this robot is that even if it is destroyed in a re, we can still replace it,” said an Abu Dhabi Civil Defence spokesperson. “However, if you lose a life, it is irreplaceable.”

London Gets New Comms

London Fire Brigade has signed a new seven-year deal with Radiocoms Systems Ltd to deploy a DMR radio communications eet to support the 100 re stations across the 33 boroughs of the city.

e new technology will consist of standard and Intrinsically Safe 9IS) ATEX-rated two-way radios and accessories, while incident command vehicles and reboats will have an installed unit to support realtime communications between Incident Command O cers, Entry Control O cers and re ghters.

e new comms eet will comply with the UKFRS National Operational Guidance (NOG) and are backwards compatible with analogue radios to ensure interoperability between neighbouring Fire Rescue Services for cross-border incidents.

Drone Lasers Combat Bush Fires

State-of-the-art colourised laser technology has been added to Fire and Rescue New South Wales’ eet of drones, giving re ghters the ability to more accurately identify bush re threats. e Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors also enable better management of fuel loads by mapping bushland density, producing precise three-dimensional point data fully integrated with red, green and blue high-resolution imagery.

“ is technology gives our re ghters a greater understanding of the bush, so during a re they can better protect properties, and during a hazard reduction operation they can more e ectively target areas with higher fuel loads,” said Australian Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke. “Having lasers tted to drones in Fire and Rescue NSW’s €5.4million eet will give re ghters greater capability to keep our communities safer and stronger throughout periods of increased re danger.”

During a hazard reduction operation, laser imagery collected before and a er the burn will allow re ghters to determine how much bushland has been treated. e LiDAR sensors can also be used during ood recovery operations by measuring the volume of ood debris and giving a better visual of what it is made up of.

“ at information takes a lot of the guesswork out of ood recovery operations, leading to a faster and more e cient clean-up,” said FRNSW Deputy Commissioner Megan Sti er. “ is technology, which can work in any light conditions is a real game-changer, and signi cantly increases our aerial re ghting capabilities.”