Fire Identification: Visualization of Fire and Rescue

At the scene of a fire accident, firefighters in most countries are also equipped with identification signs or name plates in addition to their different command levels and functions. Different from the identity cards of the military, firefighters' identity cards tend to be self-contained and play a special role in combat operations and should not be underestimated.

1 from   source

Like many innovations in the field of fire fighting and emergency rescue, firefighters’ identity cards originated in the United States. The United States is sparsely populated, and the fire protection system is a combination of veritable forms of fire brigade. After the arrival of rescue personnel of various identities, how to manage and how to use them is a big problem. When the scene of a flash fire, flashback, collapse, or emergency situations in which rescue workers are in distress or loss of communication, the base number of commanders on the spot is unclear, and it will be a bigger problem.

In the United States, there are many wood structures, brick and wood structures, and brick-concrete structures, and the risk of internal attack is relatively large. The firefighters' Line of Duty Death ( LODD ) and injuries are mainly concentrated here. So there are firefighters referencing the cow tag widely used in animal husbandry , and some claim to originate from the army's dog tag , and have created a tag system for in-house attackers.

2 points   class

The low cost and ease of use of traditional labeling systems has quickly spread and gained popularity among fire brigades. With the development and application of technology, labeling systems have evolved into various forms of Personnel Accountability System . .

2.1 Labeling System

Generally a dual-label system, the color is mostly white or red or black and red. The white is hung on the firemen's vehicle to facilitate the command of the vehicle and the driver to master the followers. Red to carry, need to attack or enter the critical area when the safety officer (officer), the command of the combat zone, and air management ( Air Management ) supporting the use.

British fire has a similar tag system ( Tally System ).

2.2 Passport System (Passport System)

The Passport System was invented by the Seattle Fire Department in 1990. Similar to the labeling system, it has front information on personnel and a magnet or Velcro on the back, which can be affixed to the whiteboard on the inside of the record.

2.3 Electronic Tag System ( Electronic Tag System )

RFID systems is the use of two-dimensional code (Barcode), GPS positioning, RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identification, RFID) technology and the like, for firefighters track positioning.

The two-dimensional code can be understood as a variant of the traditional tag system and passport system. Its information is electronic and its function is the same as the above two systems, requiring manual scanning.

With the introduction of GPS positioning technology, the location of rescue personnel at the scene is more clear. The limitation is that once inside the building, due to signal shielding and other issues, auxiliary technologies (such as repeaters) are needed to achieve personnel positioning.

RFID , also known as electronic tags, is a hallmark of Internet of Things technology. The searchable success stories are the RFID personnel location system that was fully implemented by the New York Fire Department in 2015 . In order to increase the signal transmission strength and identification radius of the tag, the New York Fire Department uses an electronic tag with a built-in battery. It is sewn in a combat suit and is recognized by the on-board tablet when approaching the vehicle or boarding the car .

3 plays   Change

The problem of personnel management and control was relieved from the outflow of bicycles, single fire stations, multi-site deployment, cross-regional reinforcements, and the control of vehicles, equipment, and supplies at the scene of large-scale fire accidents was also a major problem, and the combat unit identification evolved. system (Unit Identification system) and on-site management and control (Fireground Accountability).

3.1 Combat Unit Identification System

The combat unit identification system is an upgraded version of the personnel management and control system. With combat vehicles as the unit, the reference to the military combat unit identification, the establishment of the code system, marked on the combat suits or air callers, and in the form of a magnetic label on the scene command board ( Command Accountability Board ).

3.2 Onsite control

On-site control is the concrete embodiment of the command system. It is the overall planning of on-site vehicles, personnel, equipment, and supplies. It is the grasp of the progress of power deployment and disposal. It often uses forms such as whiteboards, command boxes, or computer command systems in a fixed format.

So far, the formation of the task level ( combat level ) of the combat personnel control, the tactical level ( tactical level ) of the combat unit control, strategic level (the level of the field of resource control), three-dimensional integration of the structure, on-site management and control system is complete, and The command system corresponds one to one.

4 should   use

4.1 Implementation basis

In the current NFPA standards, the main issues related to Accountability and Personnel Accountability System are:

NFPA 1500 Fire Safety Occupational Safety and Health Program Standard

NFPA 1561 Emergency Management Incident Management System and Safety Command Standards

NFPA 1521 Fire Bureau Safety Officer (Certificate) Professional Qualification Standard

The NFPA 1500 ( 3.3.77 , 2018 ) defines the Personnel Accountability System :

A system that afford identifies both the location and function of all members operating at an incident scene.

A system where accident scenes can easily identify the location and functions of workers.

NFPA 1651 ( 3.1.1 , 2014 ) defines Accountability :

A system or process to track resources at an incident scene.

The system or process used to track resources at the scene of an accident.

4.2 Hardware Application

With regard to the various hardware systems mentioned above, NFPA has no clear requirements and guidance. In the process of use, the advantages of various types of hardware do not have much to say, talk about shortcomings.

Traditional labels are easily lost, there is little information that can be provided and tracked, and human factors are more influential (such as the fact that the label did not remove their labels).

The high cost of electronic tags, the limitations of the use of the environment, and the poor stability, which, GPS requirements for weather conditions are more demanding, RFID needs to be integrated in the building in order to play its true role.

The mainstream military combat positioning systems, such as drones, satellites, thermal imaging systems, and night vision systems, cannot be popularized and popularized in the civilian field.

Therefore, the effectiveness of the electronic tag system is still in its infancy, and the traditional tag is still the most widely used hardware. In addition, the situation in different states and counties in the United States (especially the budget for funds) has caused the country to be unable to be unified, and all regions are not compatible. However, the right one is the best. The fire departments all over the country have also found their own way to achieve on-site personnel control.

4.3 System Guarantee

The NFPA standard requires that all local fire departments should establish a personnel control system that matches the accident management and command system. Firefighters should carry out training in personnel control and emergency avoidance, and they should be familiar with the accident management and personnel control systems used by their units. In the disposal operation, the on-site general commander shall activate the personnel control list, and after the car commander arrives at the site, he shall “check in” with the commander. The general commander should designate special personnel to be responsible for the management and control according to the type, degree, and scale of disaster accidents. The command of the combat zone should assist the commander to do a good job of personnel control at the tactical level.

4.4 supporting measures

The management of the personnel on the ground is, in the final analysis, just in case. Who is in distress, distress and loss? Where? The US Fire Department reviewed and counted cases that had occurred in the past and found that if there is still no control over the development of the disaster 20 minutes after arrival, dangerous situations will often occur. Therefore, a 20- minute Personnel Accountability Report ( PAR ) was established and implemented in coordination with the personnel control system.

The person who needs rescue on the scene is clear. Who will save it? In the United States where human resources are strained, it is common practice to set up an emergency rescue team ( Raid Intervention Crew/Team , RIC/RIT ) that rescues firefighters after they arrive and do not participate in the firefighting and rescue operations at the scene.

5 fans   think

5.1 The control system is not all-powerful?

At the beginning of the problem, people hoped to establish a system that can fully resolve the force deployment, task assignment, and location tracking of the site. However, more than 30 years of practice in Europe and the United States have taught us that on-site personnel control is not omnipotent, and it is difficult to achieve precise task assignments and precise physical location. Even the state-of-the-art electronic tag personnel location system adopted by the New York Fire Department can only be used to locate the field personnel and record the initial mission. Once they are far away from the vehicle or enter the building, personnel tracking and management cannot be achieved.

Returning to the origin of the problem, the two core issues that need to be addressed are: who is on the spot and who is attacked within a long time. Even if technological innovations are up to the present, they are still, and they can only solve these two problems. The first problem can be achieved with traditional labels, electronic tags or direct inventory. The second problem is that the security officer who is responsible for checking the empty call and registering the attack time can also be implemented.

5.2 How accurate is the positioning of personnel?

Looking back, the NFPA standard does require personnel management and control systems to achieve personnel location , but there is no requirement for positioning accuracy, which is the crux of the matter. In my opinion, this is not deliberate ambiguity. There are two main considerations:

First, there are lags in the revision of technical standards. The development of technology is difficult to predict. The ideal perfect system should exist, at least as the goal and direction of our efforts, and it should also exist. With more advanced technology in the future, everything is possible.

Second, from the perspective of on-site disposal, it is of course best to be able to grasp the position and task information of all personnel. However, at the current stage, the technical level cannot be achieved. The resource level is occupied too much, the cost is high, and the effect is poor. The personnel in hazardous areas (such as buildings, critical areas for handling hazardous chemicals, etc.) are the key to control, so the personnel control system will be used in conjunction with air call management. In other words, defining a dangerous area as an area that requires empty calls is more straightforward and clear.

5.3 Can personnel control prevent casualties?

Some people think that personnel control can avoid casualties. It can only be said to some extent. After all, personnel management has been strengthened, the number of on-site personnel has been out of control, and the possibility of freelancing has been reduced. The efficiency of task assignment and implementation has improved, and it has indeed improved operational safety.

However, in fact, hazards often occur in dangerous areas and are more sudden. The development of disaster accidents follows the objective law, and it will give feedback to the fire-fighting and rescue operations of the in-house attackers. The sudden change in disasters is not the right thing to do. The control of personnel is, in essence, to improve the positioning and positioning of persons in distress, shorten rescue preparation time, and increase the survival rate.

6 Kai   Show

6.1 System Guarantee is the Premise

As mentioned above, there are three NFPA standards directly related to on-site management and personnel control , namely, occupational safety and health, command system and safety officer (member), and one is from the firemen's safety considerations and the other from the operational command. Execution level considerations, a dedicated person responsible for the implementation of the system, and specific requirements from the aspects of the system and mechanism. In the process of implementing the personnel control system, the United States has also encountered resistance, twists and turns, and has mainly focused on changes in the behavior patterns of personnel, changes in awareness of actions, and follow-up of supporting measures. Facts have proved that this evolutionary process is inevitable and unavoidable.

6.2 business literacy is the key

The implementation of hardware and software is, in the final analysis, the implementation of people. The film "Captain Salisbury" is a good example of the human factor's weight in emergency response. The United States can better implement personnel control and on-site control. The author believes that this mainly depends on the following key elements:

First, the command system is complete, the level is clear, and the implementation of the chain of command is relatively thorough. Basically, there is no situation in which cross-commands and cross-commands are performed, so that the combat unit can always maintain its integrity and avoid the loss of personnel.

Second, the position and role of the security officer (staff) are more consolidated, and the weights in the command and decision-making are higher, which ensures the effectiveness of on-site personnel control. At the same time, this position has higher requirements on the business literacy of personnel.

The third is that firefighters have a high level of personal business literacy, and they have a good connection with the theory and practice of fire science, smoke control, etc., and can apply what they have learned and use them effectively. In addition, normalized emergency risk aversion training, proficiency in distress, escape, rescue and other skills after distress, but also added a point of protection for internal security. This is also the reason why the boundaries of on-site personnel control can be located in the import and export of dangerous areas. Therefore, if you want to avoid casualties, you must start from the root, that is, grasp the basics, lay the foundation, and practice basic skills.

6.3 is right for you

Looking at the comments made by many American firefighters on the personnel control system, we do not think anyone is taller than the others. The fire departments all over the country have their own set of methods. They are all based on local conditions and make use of the situation. Therefore, the financial issue is only one aspect. Which kind of hardware is used to implement the management and control function requires specific analysis of specific issues and is suitable for oneself. Looking back at the country, many things are familiar. With regard to the command system and the allocation of human resources, the full-service headquarters and command centers at all levels of domestic fire control are able to achieve far more functions than Europe and the United States.

Even with personnel management and air call management, there are many local warheads trying and exploring, such as the Hefei detachment. Special mention should be made of the “one map” implemented in the past two years. The Guizhou Detachment has achieved the functions of command center, mobile terminal synchronous transmission, real-time display of force deployment, real-time query of building fire protection information, real-time transfer of on-site image transmission, etc. And it has been materialized and running, no less favorable than Europe and the United States.

The framework of big security has been established. Systematic trend has become inevitable. We must sort out the roots and start with key issues. We must learn from the mature experience of foreign countries and be suitable for localization. We believe that the domestic fire emergency rescue system will also Gradually improve.

Core vocabulary

Personnel control system:

Personnel Accountability System

Control

Accountability

Call management

Air Management

Combat unit identification system

Unit Identification System

Personnel inventory

Personnel Accountability Report , PAR

Emergency rescue team

Rapid Intervention Crew/Team , RIC/RIT

Chain of command

Chain of command

Author: Zhao He, Shanghai Fire Bureau training base