Smart Firefighting

Episode 106: First Responder Smart Technology (FRST) Challenge with Christian Tubbs

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 2nd episode of our FRST Challenge Mini Series!
Who else understands the importance of location tracking better than the prior Logistician and Task Force Safety Officer (TFSO) who deployed the Washington State Urban Search and Rescue Team (WATF-1) to the Oklahoma City Bombing and Hurricane Katrina?
In this episode:
- What is FRST Challenge?
- Why do first responders need 3d tracking technology?
- How can you participate in the competition?
Chief Christian Tubbs has a 40+ year career in the fire service with a background full of highly accredited certifications, degrees, and member statuses. Current Fire Chief for the Mill Valley Fire Department, he also serves as the Northern Division Director and E-Board Member of CalChiefs, as an E-Board Director and Treasurer (NISC) with the National Information Sharing Consortium, and as a Principal Member on the NFPA 950 & 951 committees. Chief Tubbs has also previously served on the IAFC Technology Council, the Department of Homeland Security’s Incident Management Information Sharing Committee (IMIS-SC), the Department of Homeland Security's Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG), and the Board of Directors of the Homeland Security Information Network Advisory Committee (HSIN).
Given the chief's experiences leading teams into extremely dangerous operations, his - along with all other firefighters' - resultant plea for accurate GPS tracking is crystal clear - and being addressed. FRST Challenge exists to identify 3D tracking technology that can give first responders one-meter accuracy in an indoor setting (use cases include emergency rescue operations and survivor location within large buildings) and to provide competitors with entrepreneurial mentoring. Funded by PSCR, a total of up to $5.6 million in prizes and support funding will be distributed across all 5 phases to aid participants in purchasing materials, forming teams, and creating partnerships to develop their innovation. Prize money grows as teams advance through each phase, and several winners will ultimately be selected in Phase 5 to receive the largest cash prizes.
The application for Phase 1 is due on January 31, 2022, so email info@FRSTChallenge.com to find out how to participate!
Follow FRST Challenge: Twitter | Facebook
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 105: First Responder Smart Tracking (FRST) Challenge with Christopher Naum

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 1st episode of our FRST Challenge Mini Series!
Tracking has long been a problem even though it's vital for operational safety, so innovators worldwide are working to improve first responders' lives everywhere...
In this episode:
- What is FRST Challenge?
- Why do emergency responders need 3D tracking technology?
- How can you participate in the competition?
With 46 years of experience and the reputation of a highly regarded global instructor plus national author, lecturer and fire officer, who better than to hear about the necessity of FRST Challenge other than Christopher Naum, SFPE?
Current Chief of Training for the Command Institute of the Center for Fireground Leadership and Technical Consultant/Advisor & SME to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health Firefighter Fatality Investigation Program, Naum is a leading advocate on firefighter safety, Operational Risk Modeling and Adaptive Fireground Management as well as a recognized authority on Building Construction and Fireground Operations. With a distinguishing record of accomplishments and over 20 years of experience in the Fire and Emergency Services, Architecture Engineering, Fire Protection, Industrial Safety, Behavioral Based Safety, and academia/research, Naum has been lecturing globally for over 37 years and is a former instructor with the National Fire Academy. Lastly, but certainly not least, he was a 27 year Contributing Editor with Firehouse Magazine® & Firehouse.com®.
Just like all other firefighters, Naum has witnessed how inaccurate GPS tracking aggravates operations - causing a loss of time and control - and is eager to see what developers submit for the competition. FRST Challenge exists to identify 3D tracking technology that can give first responders one-meter accuracy in an indoor setting (use cases include emergency rescue operations and survivor location within large buildings) and to provide competitors with entrepreneurial mentoring. Funded by PSCR, a total of up to $5.6 million in prizes and support funding will be distributed across all 5 phases to aid participants in purchasing materials, forming teams, and creating partnerships to develop their innovation. Prize money grows as teams advance through each phase, and several winners will ultimately be selected in Phase 5 to receive the largest cash prizes.
The application for Phase 1 is due on January 31, 2022, so email info@FRSTChallenge.com to find out how to participate!
Follow FRST Challenge: Twitter | Facebook
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 104: EaseAlert: Tactile Firefighter Alerting System (FFAS) with Brad & Blake Richardson

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!
How can alerting firefighters differently help them get in the zone?
In this episode:
- How do audible alerting systems affect a firefighter’s health?
- How can tactile alerts improve efficiency for firefighters?
- Why is alerting redundancy so important?
And who better to share new tactical notification systems that better dispatch and alert firefighters than the father-son duo behind-the-scenes?
Blake Richardson grew up around the firehouse. His dad, Brad Richardson, is a captain and paramedic for a fire department in northern Florida. Brad became the inspiration behind EaseAlert when Blake noticed the toll that firefighting was taking on his dad each day that he returned from duty. Blake wanted to come up with a way to make his dad’s job less stressful. EaseAlert is that solution. Blake and co-founder/COO, Elezar Tonev began working on EaseAlert in 2019. With its suite of tactile alerting devices, EaseAlert is redefining alerting systems and setting the bar for heart smart alerting in the fire service. Today, they have a fully functional system and their brand new Firefighter Alerting System is beginning to catch the attention of fire departments around the United States.
Connect with Blake: LinkedIn
Follow EaseAlert: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Episode Resources:
- More podcast interviews: Fireground Fitness | Fire Engineering
- WCJB Article
- News4Jax Article
- St. Augustine Article
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 103: Leveraging New Training for the 21st Century Firefighter with Evan Wing

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!
Firefighters do their part in ensuring our safety, so it's time we do our part and ensure theirs...
In this episode:
- How have fire service training tactics evolved with modern day technology?
- What training challenges exist with current restrictions?
- Why is it critical to leverage technology to enable “sets & reps”?
Let's hear more about immersive training environments to prepare those who serve from the man who sells the training himself Evan Wing. Given Evan has been Middleton Fire District's Fire Lieutenant for almost a decade, he not only understands but feels the consequences of the lack of training technologies for firefighters. As the VP of Sales North America at Flaim Systems, Evan has a strong desire to utilize new technologies in order to better prepare the fire service to ensure safety in the field.
Connect with Evan: LinkedIn
Episode Resources:
- Flaim Trainer Offers Firefighter Safer, Affordable, and More Realistic Training
- Virtual Reality Training: It's Not a Video Game
- Fighting Wildfires with Virtual Reality
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 102: First Responder Smart Tracking (FRST) Challenge with Sonny Kirkley

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!
CALLING ALL INNOVATORS!! Have you heard of the FRST challenge yet?
In this episode:
- What is the FRST challenge?
- How to leverage the community to crowdsource the best innovation
- Why you shouldn't be afraid to fail
SFF got to hear from innovator, entrepreneur and designer Sonny E. Kirkley who is the Director of User Experience for Crisis Technologies Innovations Lab (CTIL). With extensive experience managing complex projects and programs, he enjoys taking an idea from a concept to development and working with stakeholders on effective implementation. Much of his career has been focused on learning technologies and implementing programs in diverse settings (e.g., Fortune 100 to K- schools), while Kirkley particularly enjoys working with emerging technologies such as augmented reality, mixed reality, AI and IoT.
CTIL is hosting the first-ever First Responder Smart Tracking (FRST) Challenge, a national series of competitions for companies, entrepreneurs and students to find the best solution for indoor 3D tracking for first responders. The competition is focused on smart, accurate, in-building location tracking for first responders since tracking has been a big issues for first responders for a long time with no such technologies currently available.
Connect with Sonny: LinkedIn | Twitter
Follow FRST Challenge: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Episode Resources:
- CTIL Competition Details
- Competition contact email: info@frstchallenge.com
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 101: TechX2021: Preparing for the Worst to Perform the Best with Tammy McLean

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!
Imagine how many more lives could be saved if public safety training technologies mimicked real life crisis scenarios to more accurately prepare emergency responders. Well, Tammy McLean had the same thought...
In this episode:
- How is TechX unique?
- Who should participate?
- What will participants learn?
- How can we register?
Founder and CEO of Global Convergent Technologies LLC, Tammy is the visionary behind TechX experiences. TechX events, beginning with #TechX2021, are immersive, hands-on experiences that train public safety professionals to use state-of-the-art technologies to solve complex crisis challenges. With extensive experience in global corporate event-planning and marketing, Tammy manages TechX experiences worldwide and leads private and public organizations in innovative strategic development initiatives that employ technology-driven solutions to maximize engagement, revenue and participation.
Follow Global Convergent Technologies: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
Connect with Tammy: LinkedIn
Episode Resources:
- #TechX2021 Event Registration
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 100: Thinking Differently About Community Risk Reduction with Joe Powers

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!
People tend to think that only the bad can teach a lesson, but wouldn't talking about the good also help keep the community safe?
In this episode:
- What is community risk reduction?
- How can it be applied to improve safety?
- How to do a risk assessment that helps you first understand your community, then take the best action
Sharing his best practices with us is the approachable, positive, and proven industry leader Joe Powers. Accomplished in developing strategic partnerships for sustainable community outcomes and success in designing and leading organizational change, he is internationally known as a visionary in organizational change, community risk reduction, and creative data solutions for decision-making and service delivery.
With 27 years of innovative experience in the fire service, Joe is the current City Fire Marshal, Appointed Fire Official and Deputy Fire Chief of Community Risk Reduction for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia. Additionally, he is an instructor, peer reviewer and peer assessor for the Center Public Safety Excellence, a Steering Committee and Technical Advisor for Vision 20/20 and a Board Member of IAFC's Fire and Life Safety Section.
Connect with Joe: LinkedIn
Episode Resources:
- Daily Progress Article
- Emergency Reporting by ESO YouTube Channel: Episode 3 - Creating a World Class Community Risk Reduction Program
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 99: National Fallen Firefighter Foundation Supporting Past & Future Firefighters with Executive Director Chief Ron Siarnicki

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!
Just how does National Fallen Firefighter Foundation (NFFF) help firefighters, their families and fire departments?
In this episode:
- What is the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation’s core mission?
- How to support and honor first responders
- What are trends for the best fireground operations tools?
- How to engage with and innovate for fire service members?
Let's learn from the man who took over as Executive Director of NFFF in 2001 Chief Ron Siarnicki! Chief Siarnicki's wealth of knowledge stems from being raised in a fire service family along with his over twenty years of experience in the service. As Executive Director, he manages the day to day operations of the Foundation and included managing the National Memorial Services, construction of the National Memorial Park and the renovation of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Chapel as part of his role. He additionally created the catalyst for the development of the Everyone Goes Home® Program designed to reduce the number of firefighter line-of-duty deaths that occur each year in the United States.
Chief Siarnicki delivers presentations at fire and emergency conferences and meetings across the country, increasing awareness of the Foundation, the efforts of its prevention work and support for the families of the fallen. In recognition of his outstanding leadership with the Foundation’s and the fire service as a whole, he has been recognized by various groups and organizations, including but not limited to: The Fire Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award; Alan Brunacini Fire Services Executive Safety Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs; and Metropolitan Fire Chiefs’ Presidents Award of Distinction.
Episode Resources:
- NFFF's Connect Program
- NFFF's Vulnerability Program
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 98: Hickory Fire Department Addresses Interoperability Challenges with Marcus Scott, Matt Hutchinson and Jason Lowrance

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 final episode of our IAFC Technology Council Outreach Mini Series!
Attention all entrepreneurs looking to support first responders...
In this episode:
- What 21st-century communication challenges exist for buildings?
- What's the unique issue when first responders come together from a large response area?
- How to utilize Project 25 to explore open architecture solutions
SFF got to hear from Hickory Fire Department's Accreditation Manager-Captain Marcus Scott, Chief Matt Hutchinson and Battalion Chief Jason Lowrance to find out how fire ground operations can be conducted so all the operations work in conjunction with one another. Marcus Scott has been Hickory's Accreditation Manager for over 5 years and has previous specialization in Fire Systems Data while Jason Lowrance has been with Hickory's department for over 18 years, currently serving as the Chief of Support Services. Their leader Matt Hutchinson has a rich history in the fire industry ever since he joined the department in 2003. In addition to his many other certifications and degrees, Matt Hutchinson completed the prestigious 4 year Executive Fire Officer Program through the National Fire Academy (NFA) and is also a graduate of the Fire and Rescue Management Institute through UNC-Charlotte which provides instruction in leadership, team building, management skills, strategic planning, communication skills and personnel management. The program is designed to prepare participants to become more effective in the increasingly challenging and complex world of fire and rescue management.
Connect with Marcus: LinkedIn
Connect with Matt: LinkedIn
Connect with Jason: LinkedIn
Episode Resources:
- Project 25
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Episode 97: Behavioral Economics in the Fire Service with Dan Munsey and Scott Roseberry

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 IAFC Technology Council Outreach Mini Series!
Now what does behavioral economics have to do with the fire service?
In this episode:
- What is behavioral economics and how can we rethink the approach?
- Explore the significance of framing, relativity, loss aversion and conformity
- Who can effectively integrate behavioral economics into fire departments?
SFF heard from fire chiefs who have brought behavioral economics into their departments to find out just how it applies to the fire industry. Fire Chief Dan Munsey has been with the San Bernardino County Fire Department for over 26 years, is a chairperson of the CalChiefs Operations Section - a subsection of the California Fire Chiefs Association providing specialized support to the parent body and subject matter expertise to its members in the area of fire operations - and is also a chairperson for IAFC Technology Council. Battalion Chief Scott Roseberry has served the Garland Fire Department in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for the past 22 years and is also an Advisory Council Member for FEMA and a Board Member of the Emergency Services Tech Symposium.
Connect with Dan: LinkedIn
Connect with Scott: LinkedIn
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!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn