May the Fourth (and S&T’s ‘Force’) Be with Our Firefighters
Today is International Firefighters Day, an occasion to recognize and honor the sacrifices that brave men and women around the world make to safeguard our communities.
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News Release: DHS Trains California Fire Services on Situational Awareness Application
DHS S&T recently conducted a virtual training on its Team Awareness Kit (TAK) that provides such features as video sharing, location tracking of fire equipment, fire perimeters from aircraft, and fire model forecasts.
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ST-Enhanced Rescue Hoist Glove
Rescue hoist gloves protect emergency responders’ hands during specialized helicopter hoist rescue operations. Read the results of two prototype fingerless glove designs, developed by DHS S&T, and tested by the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory.
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| Press Releases
News Release: DHS S&T to Evaluate Select Wildfire Sensor Technologies
DHS S&T selected four new industry partners to participate in a new wildfire sensors workstream of the Smart Cities Internet of Things Innovation (SCITI) Labs.
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S&T Respiratory Protection for Firefighters during Overhaul Operations: Operational Field Assessment Report
After extinguishing structural fires, firefighters carry out fire overhaul operations to locate and extinguish smoldering hot spots. Early on in the overhaul operations, firefighters wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA); although, it is common practice to remove the SCBA when the carbon monoxide (CO) concentration drops to a safe level. Studies have shown, however, that after CO dissipates, particulate matter and harmful chemicals are still present during overhaul environments. As a result, firefighters must continue to wear heavy SCBA equipment throughout overhaul operations or risk breathing in the hazardous material present in the overhaul environment. To address this hazard, the Respiratory Protection for Firefighters during Overhaul Operations project developed a filter module that is designed to be used in passive air-purifying respirators (APRs) and powered APRs (PAPRs) to protect firefighters from particulate and chemical hazards while being lighter and more comfortable than the traditional SCBA.
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Wildland Firefighter Respirator Fact Sheet
Wildland firefighters need a small, lightweight respirator that is easy to don and doff. Under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate's (S&T) Wildland Firefighter Respirator project, TDA Research is developing such a respirator capable of removing airborne hazards in the wildland firefighting operating environment.
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| Testimony
Written testimony of FEMA U.S. Fire Administration for a House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology hearing titled “U.S. Fire Administration and Fire Grant Programs Reauthorization: Examining Effectiveness & Priorities”
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration Acting U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Denis Onieal addresses the functions of the U.S. Fire Administration.
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| Publication
S&T FRG Smoke and Particulate Resistant Structural Turnout Ensemble Fact Sheet and Video
Chronic exposures to toxic combustion products and particulate matter found in the fireground environment are believed to contribute significantly to the higher cancer occurrences in firefighters. When used during fire suppression and overhaul stages, the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) protects the highly susceptible respiratory tract from toxic combustion products in smoke and soot. However, firefighters are still exposed to hazardous vapors and particulates when smoke penetrates interfaces in the turnout ensemble and deposits on the skin.