Smart Firefighting

Episode 152: Breaking Down Z-Axis Tracking During Phase 4 of the FRST Challenge with Dale Rolfson

Part 1 of our FRST Challenge - Phase 4 Mini Series:
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
How to create solutions that are affordable, scalable, flexible, and usable
What are the most important factors when implementing technology into public safety?
What are the end goal aspirations for the FRST Challenge?
Hosted at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, the FRST Challenge is a competition focused on producing marketable prototypes that demonstrate indoor localization tracking and tracking of first responders within 1-meter accuracy without any pre-deployed infrastructure. The challenge is administered by the Indiana University Crisis Technologies Innovation Lab and funded by the NIST Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) division.
Chief Technology Officer Dale Rolfson is the first of many competitors you'll hear from!
He's been with the Indianapolis Fire Department for almost 35 years, starting off as a recruit firefighter, drove a Ladder Truck for 14 years, and then worked as a Deputy Fire Marshal for 10 years with duties including Fire Investigation, Code Enforcement, Public Education, Communications Chief, and many other technology duties. He has been the CTO for IFD since April of 2012.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 151: Playing with Fire to Create a Fire Safe World with Wojciech Węgrzyński

How can we translate science into action?
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
Is it possible to create a fire safe world?
Why is communication between prevention and response stakeholders so important?
How to keep asking "Why?" until you can't anymore
Fire Safety Engineer Wojciech (Woj) Węgrzyński tells us more!
An Associate Professor and a Deputy Head of Fire Research Department at the Building Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland, Woj earns his living by, "setting stuff on fire and trying to model that with a computer." He's passionate about fire safety and engineering plus loves experimenting and combining knowledge from different disciplines. His latest research areas are visibility in smoke, smart smoke control systems, and wind and fire coupled modeling. Waj is also an author of 25 peer-reviewed papers and 200+ technical expertise related to buildings - including large road tunnels, shopping malls, and some of Europe's highest skyscrapers.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 150: Change Management & The Fire Service Culture with Danny Kistner

Here's some tips for positively transforming your fire house's culture:
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
What is change management of technology?
Why fire service leadership starts from the top down
How to implement real change in the fire service
Learn from the expert in dynamic and progressive executive leadership Daniel (Danny) Kistner!
The retired fire chief used his 40+ years' experience in public safety to create DTK Consulting - a coaching and executive education for adaptive leadership, innovation, mobile integrated healthcare (community para-medicine), and other topics related to organizational development with an emphasis on public safety subjects.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 149: How First Responders Can Use Technology to Fit Into PPE Masks Better with Mike Gugino

Why do masks never seem to fit right?!
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
What is 3D Fit?
The challenges of masks fitting properly on public health & safety workers
How technology can improve the fit of masks
Find out from Mike Gugino, inventor of 3D FIT!
Mike has worked in the respiratory protection fit testing process for many years and has oversaw thousands of annual fit tests. Mike knows the frustrations around fit testing all too well and while he was working in this role, he decided that there had to be a better way. So he created the app 3D FIT (still in development!) as an alternative respiratory protection fit test that only utilizes a smart device. Thanks to his innovation, Mike will help save first resopnder and medical workers time while making them safer with better fitting masks!
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 148: How to be a Leader of Change in the Fire Service with Jeff Buchanan

Here's how to remain true to yourself as you move up the ranks of the fire service.
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
How to have a healthy balance of disagreement amongst peers
Various tactics to become a better leader
Why does change management of technology matter?
Learn from Dr. Jeffrey L. Buchanan - a retired Fire Chief with more than 21 years of public safety and government experience.
Jeff is a consultant and principal at The.Buchanan.Group LLC. As the Fire Chief for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue (LVF&R), Jeff had oversight of day-to-day operations for more than 800 employees and a total budget that is in excess of 200 million dollars. Amongst many other things, he is also an adjunct instructor in the Master of Urban Leadership program at UNLV and an instructor at the College of Southern Nevada, where he has taught for 11 years. Jeff is committed to education and holds a Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, and a Doctorate in Public Policy (DPP). Lastly, he is a member of the fire emergency service higher education (FESHE) committee and various other advisory boards and groups that impact the fire service.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 147: Risks & Wonders of Artificial Intelligence in Public Safety with Bart van Leeuwen

Want to know about emerging cases of AI? You're in the right place...
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
What’s the difference between narrow vs broad AI?
What is hybrid intelligence?
What does true innovation mean?
Find out from Bart van Leeuwen - owner of Netage B.V., Station Instructor at Brandweer Amsterdam-Amstelland & Certified Situational Awareness Master Instructor for SA Matters.
Bart combines more than 20 years of experience as an operational fire fighter, and over 20 years of leading Netage. Netage is a software tool used to deliver Smart Data for Smarter Firefighters, and operates on a global scale for fire services and related organizations. Currently, it is heavily involved with the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) on various smart data topics.
Bart's unique background gives him the opportunity to identify relevant research and its application in real world scenarios, so you definitely want to take a listen!
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 146: Using Immersive Technology to Train Future Firefighters with Travis Adkison

What is arguably the most important skill for firefighting? Problem solving.
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
How can classrooms integrate technology?
How can we adapt along with the evolving fire service?
How can education systems teach better problem solving?
Hear from Western Wake Fire & Rescue's Caption and the Fire Academy Instructor at Chapel Hill - Carrboro City Schools: Travis Adkinson.
At the age of 18, Travis found himself applying to volunteer as a firefighter alongside a friend; and almost 20 years later, Travis finds himself teaching students the intricacies of fire prevention and fire safety. This interesting conversation covers aspects of education trends in the classroom, how to use immersive learning as a tool for public safety, and how to adapt to the ever-changing first responder landscape.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 145: Introducing Technology to Empower the Indian Fire Service with Udit Agrawal

Bringing everyday solutions to the South Asian Fire Service...
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
In this episode:
How to ask customers the right questions
How to ensure solutions consider local & cultural contexts
The history & evolution of Brijbasi
Get in the know with Udit Agrawal - the Director at Brijbasi who is passionate about understanding the challenges firefighters face on a daily basis.
Brijbasi supports the Indian Fire Service in terms of Training, Fire Apparatus, Equipment or any other solution. With over 50 years of working together, the firefighting fraternity has made Brijbasi who they are today. Brijbasi’s wide range of products and solutions include Aerial Ladder Platforms, Turbo Hydro Jet Fire Fighting, Mobile Water Transport (Hydraulic Submersible Pumps), Airport Crash Fire Trucks, Industrial & Municipal Fire Trucks, Defense Application Trucks, Drones, Robotic Fire Fighting, Virtual Reality Fire Fighter & Apparatus Operation Training, Rescue Tools & Equipment.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 144: How TEEX Testing & Innovation Center Fosters Progress with Ray Ivie | TSI Mini Series

Want to know how to get involved with advancing public safety?
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
This is the eighth episode of our TSI Mini Series. Hosted in Texas during October 2022, Technology Summit International - IAFC's newest conference - brought the tech of the future to today’s fire and emergency service professionals — helping them reduce risks to their communities, improve their ability to respond to emergencies, and save lives.
In this episode:
What is TEEX Tested?
How TEEX guides start ups & public safety through technology adoption
How to get involved & vet your technology at Disaster City
Find out from Ray Ivie: Test & Eval Director at Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service - TEEX. Working across A&M system facilities - including Brayton Fire Training Center, Disaster City, Bush Combat Development Center, Internet Tech Eval Center, A&M Engineering, Bush School of Public Service and Health Science Colleges - to support research and conduct assessments, Ray plans, coordinates, & executes operational assessments of products & solutions for the emergency responder / public safety communities. He additionally teaches undergrads at the Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership and grad students at the Bush School of Public Service.
To name just a bit of his quite extensive background, Ray was the former Senior VP / GM of Network Solutions Group at CACI International; led groups of business divisions providing expertise & technologies for enterprise IT solutions for IC, DOD & other USGOV agencies; plus served as President of the Integration & Operations Solutions Group a LGS Innovations (former Bell Labs-Federal), and Director of Geospatial Solutions for General Dynamics Mission Systems, Advanced Information Systems - leading strategic opportunities with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), other IC agencies & DoD.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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Episode 143: Technology As An Enabler for Public Safety with Stefan Truthän | TSI Mini Series

Since we cannot deinstall and reinstall the fire department...
Hello Smart Firefighting Community!
Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!
This is the seventh episode of our TSI Mini Series. Hosted in Texas during October 2022, Technology Summit International - IAFC's newest conference - brought the tech of the future to today’s fire and emergency service professionals — helping them reduce risks to their communities, improve their ability to respond to emergencies, and save lives.
In this episode:
Why are global meetups important?
How can the fire service explore evergreen solutions?
How is adopting technology a big challenge AND solution?
SFF met up with Stefan Truthän - the progressive driving force and visionary behind hhpberlin who has been responsible for the operational and strategic development of the company since 2008. As Chief Organizational Architect, Stefan has been an integral part of the engineering firm since 2002. With his unconventional solutions and great passion, he helped hhpberlin grow rapidly and wants to set decisive impulses for the future of public safety.
Over the past 30 years, Stefan has also been a volunteer firefighter in various roles plus joined the advisory board of INTERSCHUTZ in Hanover as well as the conference advisory board of INTERSCHUTZ USA.
Join our SFF Community!
Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is or review our curated resources!
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