Fire-fighting Rescue Research Articles

Cooperative Localization of Firefighters Based on Relative Ranging Constraints of UWB and Autonomous Navigation

There are many demands for the cooperative localization (CL) of multiple people, such as firefighter rescue. The classical foot-mounted inertial navigation based on zero velocity update (ZUPT) suffers from accumulating error due to the low-cost inertial sensor, and the pre-placed anchors in the ultra-wideband (UWB) system limit the application in an unknown environment. In this study, a group of sensors including the inertial measurement unit (IMU), magnetometer, barometer, and UWB sensor is used. Through the different characteristics of sensors and the position relationship between people, a cooperative localization system using an extended Kalman filter for three-dimensional firefighter tracking is proposed. Ranging information between firefighters from UWB is utilized, and couplings introduced by relative measurement are estimated. Two experiments are designed to verify the proposed algorithm in building and forest environments. Compared with the results of single-person inertial navigation, the average positioning precision of the algorithm in the building and forest is, respectively, improved by 38.93% and 79.01%. This approach successfully suppresses the divergence of positioning errors, and fixed UWB anchors are not needed.

Budućnost gašenja požara na brodu: vatrogasni aparati s pjenom pod visokim pritiskom i s abrazivnim oštrim mlazom

This paper is dealing with the problem of extinguishing fire on ships and off-shore equipment characterized by high degree of danger caused by presence of explosive or life threatening substances. Special device Cold Cut System Cobra combining cutting possibility and production of water mist is presented. Its advantages and application possibilities are discussed. This fire extinguisher has been widely used for more than one decade but based on a literature search we suppose that its potential is not fully exploited in marine applications. In cooperation with fire-fighting rescue station in Silesian Ostrava laboratory measurement of reaction forces of Cobra slurry jet was realized at the Technical University of Ostrava. It was discovered that measured force was about 120 – 150 N therefore it represented approximately one third of the theoretical maximum value. The measured force appeared to change not only with the type of material but also with the thickness of the layer being cut, but the change was not significant from the point of view of handling the lance during intervention. Our research may deepen firefighter’s knowledge of the tool they are working with and therefore improve safety of their work.

Employment Standards for Australian Urban Firefighters: Part 4: Physical Aptitude Tests and Standards.

Firefighter physical aptitude tests were administered to unskilled subjects and operational firefighters to evaluate the impact that testing bias associated with gender, age, activity-specific skills, or task familiarity may have upon establishing performance thresholds. These tests were administered in sequence, simulating hazmat incidents, ventilation fan carriage (stairs), motor-vehicle rescues, bushfire incidents, fire attacks, and a firefighter rescue. Participants included two unskilled samples (N = 14 and 22) and 143 firefighters. Firefighter performance was not significantly different from the unskilled subjects. Participants from both genders passed the test, with scores unrelated to performance skill or age; however, familiarization significantly improved performance when the test was repeated. These outcomes confirmed this test to be gender-, age-, and skill-neutral. Familiarization effects could be removed through performing a single, pre-selection trial of the test battery.

Evaluating a Multimodal Interface for Firefighting Rescue Tasks

Firefighters searching for victims work in hazardous environments with limited visibility, obstacles and uncertain navigation paths. In rescue tasks, extra sensor information from infrared cameras, indoor radar and gas sensors could improve vision, orientation and navigation. A visual and tactile interface concept is proposed that integrates this sensor information and presents it on a head-mounted display and tactile belt. Sixteen trained participants performed a firefighting rescue task with and without the prototype interface, measuring task performance, mental effort, orientation and preference. We found no difference in task performance or orientation, but a significantly higher preference for the prototype compared to baseline. From participants’ remarks, it appears the interface overloaded them with information, reducing the potential benefit for orientation and performance. Implications for the design of the prototype are outlined.

Fire Situation And Development Of Fire Safety Science And Technology In China

The fire direct property damage has gone up significantly with the development of industrialization and urbanization since the 1950’s in China. The number of casualties of fire has come down since the 1980’s while the mass casualties fire was significant. China governments at all levels, departments of fire protection, and the whole society have made great efforts to promote fire science research and its applications. The fire situation becomes relative stable in recent years. At present, the strength on fire research in China mainly includes the four fire research institutes of the Ministry of Public Security, the state key laboratory of fire science, fire enterprises and other fire research institutes. The researches have been carried out on fire detecting & alarming and fire suppression, fire resistance performance of constructions and fire prevention technology, fire modeling technology and performance-based fire safety design, fire protection on urban layout and fire fighting & rescue, technology of fire protection standardization, fire dynamics and fundamentals of fire protection since 1990. Emphasis has been put on the technology of fire prevention and fire-fighting rescue for high-rise building, underground building and large space building, and technology of prevention and control of urban fire and severe chemical disaster. In the future 5 years, the fire research work will be developed on theory of fire dynamic and fire risk, evaluation on urban area fire risk and capability of fire protection, techniques of new type fire facilities and engineering application, modernization of fire equipment, techniques of assessment and design on fire resistant of construction configuration, human behavior in fire, establishment and improvement of fire database, economics of fire protection and performance-based fire safety engineering.