8/31/23

Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority Chief Scott Freitag is contemplating aN equipment upgrade for his agency, the move inspired by his recent attendance at the Fire-Rescue International Conference. 

The conference served as a platform for exploring new solutions aimed at addressing the challenges caused by disasters. Freitag revealed that the agency is working with several vendors during the eventwhich led to some promising discoveries.

One revelation was the cutting-edge software presented by "3 a.m.," a leading company in the field. The software offers real-time tracking for firefighters, tailored to suit various incident scenarios. This innovative technology not only holds significance for structural situations but also extends its utility to the wildland arena.

Haifa, an Australian-based firm with a significant presence in both its home country and the United States, emerged as another player in this domain. The company's expertise becomes particularly evident in the aftermath of large-scale disasters like the devastating Paradise Fire.

In addition, Maui has embraced the "Starlink" platform, a satellite-based communication network. This strategic decision stems from lessons learned during past calamities, including those that hit Maui and Paradise in Northern California. Traditional communication infrastructure, primarily reliant on fiber optics, has shown vulnerability to fire damage, often resulting in complete breakdowns in communication within communities and among first responders. In contrast, the Starlink satellite system has demonstrated resilience, spanning vast areas like Australia and ensuring uninterrupted communication even in the face of natural catastrophes.

These groundbreaking solutions have sparked a keen interest within the authority, prompting a thorough evaluation and contemplation of their implementation in the region. The objective is to help the disaster response framework with battle-tested technologies that can withstand adversity, safeguarding communication channels precisely when they are needed the most. Freitag's vision is to elevate CAFMA's disaster response to an unprecedented level of efficiency and reliability.

The International Fire-Rescue conference took place in Kansas City, Missouri.