Engineer Wanting To Help

[shoeBlade]

Hello,
I am not a firefighter, however I am an engineer. I am considering research options and would like to hear from you guys. My specialization is in robotics. I would like to develop a device that would be helpful to firefighters and related personnel. I am looking to improve any procedure that costs you too much time to do manually or any activity that is too dangerous. Or even if you feel something that you use is ineffective and should be improved upon or augmented. I am looking to develop a solution that will be both low cost by design and easily repairable in the field.

For example, in a letter from Vincent Dunn (former deputy chief of FDNY) to Tom RIdge he states:
"5. The fire service needs robots for firefighting. One such robot would be used to attack fires in superheated atmospheres and in haz-mat burning incidents. Clamp a nozzle on the robot, start water and let it enter the flame and heat of an inaccessible burning structure. ... I have never seen a robot demonstrated in American fire department. The fire service needs this tool for fighting terrorism fires." - http://vincentdunn.com/ridge.html

So if you ever said "Why doesn't someone make a __________?", I may be that someone.

Thanks for your time

[CALFFBOU]

Bump....Thanks for the offer. The place is full of us that like to complain and need something to work or function better.

Can you fixed this website? Sometimes it wont let you start a new thread. Or have you heard of Mini-Me. Someone needs to tune-up that little weasel.

Seriously- maybe you can focus somewhere in the area of seat belts. Firefighters (including myself) dont always wear them.

Or....I got it. Hydraulic tool lines that do not leak. My Hurst tools leak all over the place. I know Halmatro has some newer type of lines out. That would be nice if someone could fix those.

Or maybe go work at Interspiro SCBA corp. Their junk is broken all of the time and could use someone, anyone there.

Or maybe introduce carbon fiber tools to the fire service. Make them stronger. Or bio-gradable wildland fire hose. So when it blows on me in the summer and I leave it behind, its Mother Earth friendly. I dont know.

Or re-work the front of American LaChance's trucks. They are ugly as sin.

Anyone else?

[REVANANT]

How about a way to pick up large and repack large amounts of LDH quickly and safely without taking up a large amount of space or involving too much heavy lifting.

Larry

[shoeBlade]

"Or maybe introduce carbon fiber tools to the fire service. Make them stronger. Or bio-gradable wildland fire hose. So when it blows on me in the summer and I leave it behind, its Mother Earth friendly. I dont know."
Good idea, ill forward it to my material science colleagues.

As for the HDL, what makes it heavy? The actual weight of the hose or the fact the the hose has water left in it.

How about a heavy duty "mule" robot that can carry/pull things and that is modular so you can add tools and functions to it? For example, you could attach an end of a hose to it and it would pull it off the truck.

Keep your ideas coming.

[Nordy1]

We already have mules, they are called probies.

[CALFFBOU]

Speaking of "the mule", I think Pierce came out with a hose bed the lowers itself to the crew level for LDH re-packing.

[shoeBlade]

Ok, lets try this.
What manual task takes you the most time to complete?
What task is most dangerous to you?

[Firetacoma1]

Ok, lets try this.
What manual task takes you the most time to complete?
What task is most dangerous to you?

Meetings.
Responding lights and sirens.

If you could invent a machine to eliminate meetings, I would pay you lots of money!

[neiowa]

Ok, lets try this.
What manual task takes you the most time to complete?
What task is most dangerous to you?

Fundraising and grant writing?

Robo that grills/serves hotdogs, empties trashcans, and swats flies at the same time.

[CALFFBOU]

shoeBlade-

Sir- I was eating my gourmet burrito today seriously thinking about your offer. I have an idea for you thats a serious issue with most of our nation's Firefighters and I am pretty sure no one is addressing it right now.

The problem- During wildland fires, the fire engine's (type 1,2,3) motors are usually left running and pumping water while parked. (a typical operation) While this is happening, the environment contents include flying embers and smoke pushed by gusting winds from 20-60 mph. Both of which get sucked in the truck's air filter/intake. Because of this, the plastic intake catches fire, then the motor, engine compartment and the the entire rig. And then it becomes a safety problem because the Firefighters can not leave a dangerous scene or take refuge in the truck.

If you really want to make/invent/engineer something that most of the fire service can use, please consider an add-on/retofit device that would some how prevent this from happening.

No need for robots or flying nozzles, this is a real problem that someone realy needs to jump on and make a difference.

And if you get rich off of it, DO NOT forget brother Bou. Because it was his idea. Please email me or PM if you want to discuss this furthur.

[shoeBlade]

Did a little research and it appears such a system has been developed
"The simulator evaluation resulted in the development and implementation of
a vehicle crew protection system that consists of:
• Water sprays;
• Radiant heat curtains;
• Metal protection panels; and
• Engine metal air intake pre-cleaners." - http://www.iawfonline.org/summit/200...%20et%20al.pdf
Looks like it was developed sometime last year

Just as a note, If you post any idea it then becomes "prior art" and is therefore un-patentable by me or anyone else in the future. I don't have a monetary motivation, just want to do research to help those who risk their lives. Furthermore you will receive proper credit in my research and in any publications.

Hopefully this thread goes further so I can collect ideas and decide which one I can do most effectively and has the most benefit. I really appreciate the ideas so far.

[shoeBlade]

One note,
I did not pay for a membership so I cant PM anyone or edit my posts.
You can reach me at my user name @gmail.com

[cozmosis]

One note,
I did not pay for a membership so I cant PM anyone or edit my posts.
You can reach me at my user name @gmail.com

I'm a free user and I can PM & edit posts. However, you are still showing up as a guest. I'm guessing that once your ticket is punched by the WebTeam as a "real member," you'll have access to those features.

[shoeBlade]

Im reading through the homeland security report on firefighter fatalities (http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pd...fa-306-508.pdf) And have some questions. Most were unpreventable involving heart attacks or stress (62 of 115 deaths - 53%) and crashes (25 of 115 deaths - 22%) mostly, but the following seemed preventable:


"• In January, two New York City firefighters died
when they were trapped by rapid fire progress
in a structure fire. Six firefighters were forced
to jump from a fifth-story window because the
apartment where they were trapped did not
have a fire escape."

Do firefighters carry any type of egress system, be it rappelling rope or otherwise?


" − A California firefighter was electrocuted
when he came into contact with an
energized wire at a residential structure fire."

Does this occur often (be it nonfatal)?

[CALFFBOU]

Did a little research and it appears such a system has been developed
"The simulator evaluation resulted in the development and implementation of
a vehicle crew protection system that consists of:
• Water sprays;
• Radiant heat curtains;
• Metal protection panels; and
• Engine metal air intake pre-cleaners." - http://www.iawfonline.org/summit/200...%20et%20al.pdf
Looks like it was developed sometime last year

Hmmm...To me, it looks like it was only discussed briefly. I dont think anyone has tackled the project yet. Hope you can look at it more and maybe move o it....Bou