0 Boston Firefighters to Receive Boost of Real-time Data on Calls

real time map of greater Boston and surrounding areas

Credit: Here.com

Boston Fire Fighters will be better equipped when responding to a call.  Our first responders will now be equipped with information from a variety of city departments, including Inspectional Services and Permitting. Streaming data will provide an array of relevant data to the fire truck while on route to a call; this will hopefully mitigate hazards along the way, and keep the fire fighters up-to-date on all necessary info related to the call.

From the Boston Herald:

“The more tools we can get in the hands of a firefighter, the more knowledge they have upon entering a fire, the better off we are,” said Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph E. Finn. “When you’re in that high-stakes environment, every second counts and every decision matters.”

Fire trucks will soon be outfitted with what the city calls “building intelligence” software that taps into records and data from other city departments, including Inspectional Services and Permitting. That will let firefighters know the building’s floor plan, whether it has sprinklers and potential hazards in the building…Before entering a building, firefighters will also have access to information about whether the structure has a history of code violations, including illegal apartments.