Article
Wildfire: What to consider and how does software support?

Daniela Obrecht, 30.09.2018
Operations involving wildfires and vegetation fires are often associated with a high risk for the emergency forces. This makes it all the more important to have well-functioning communication between incident command and the individual units. The Firetab software offers the ideal support for this with its modules.

Wildfires in grain fields or forest areas pose numerous dangers for firefighters in the field. Densely standing grain burns particularly quickly because of its large surface area, as do coniferous forests on slopes. The influence of the wind should not be underestimated: gusts of wind can come up unexpectedly. They drive the fire line forward and also influence the length of the flame. It is therefore important to take time for a comprehensive reconnaissance and to observe the following:

  • Wind direction
  • Wind strength
  • Flame length
  • What is in the main direction of spread?
  • Is the field harvested or not?
  • Is a farmer and possibly a harvester on site?
  • Where is the nearest water point?

Buildings and vegetation in the vicinity as well as the nearest water extraction points are immediately visible on Firetab. All other information is recorded on an initial location sketch. This can be done particularly quickly with the Firetab sketch module. With this module, the incident commander draws the situation directly on the digital map. The sketch is automatically visible on all Firetab devices.

With a clear situation sketch it is quickly clear where which units have to be placed. Decisions are entered into the location sketch and then also appear synchronously on all devices. For maximum safety, it is advisable to place an observer at each operational section. This observer warns the firefighters in action, e.g. in case of sudden weather changes or new fire islands, and coordinates a possible retreat.

Contact a farmer? - Just a touch away

The contact details of the affected farmer and other farmers in the vicinity are also helpful. They can often provide significant support during the operation. For example, they can create a wound strip with a mower at a safe distance. Contact can be accelerated with the Firetab Information of Point module. By touching a building, it directly searches for the names and telephone numbers of the occupants.

Safety thanks to communication

Communication is also particularly important for wildfires. A good connection between command and units eliminates the risk of being surprised by sudden changes in the situation. Ideally, every section leader should have a tablet with Firetab®. This way, everyone is always up to date on decisions made by the operations command and what is happening in the other sections. A special plus for the command: Thanks to the Firetab Tracking module, it is always possible to see where the section leaders are at any given time.

Discover More blogposts

Diese Vorteile bietet die digitale Lagekarte

Die Tablet App Firetab Einsatz unterstützt Feuerwehren in der Einsatzführung. Integrierter Bestandteil der bedienerfreundlichen Feuerwehr Software ist die Möglichkeit, auf dem Schadenplatz eine digitale Lageskizze anzufertigen. Das bringt mehrere Vorteile.

This is how digital respiratory protection monitoring works

In cooperation with the Pizol Fire Department, this informative video on the use of our respiratory protection app Respirec was created. It can be used alone or in combination with Firetab Einsatz, our app for incident commanders. Our digital tools not only bring advantages during operations, but also after the operation for documentation.
Article

What are the benefits of the Respirec respiratory monitoring app?

More efficiency in respiratory protection monitoring thanks to user-friendly app
Interview

This is what the Oftringen Fire Department has to say about deployment planning with Planbutler

With around 14,500 inhabitants, Oftringen is the fifth most populous municipality in Aargau. Its local fire department carries out around 80 operations per year. Commander Fernando Volken and his team use Planbutler to create operational documents. Here's what he has to say about the app.
Interview

Digitization: This is how the Horn TG fire department does it

The Horn fire department on Lake Constance is one of the smaller fire departments in the canton of Thurgau, but it is by no means lagging behind when it comes to digitization. Commander Claudio Forster provides information about the digitization process and their software for mission support and mission planning.
Article

Here's how we make Azurito firefighting apps flexible

Today, a software solution must be flexible, secure and clear. Flexibility is important for future technical developments and responding to trends. But we also design our apps for Public Safety to be flexible for linking different systems and platforms.
Article

Why fire departments need situational awareness systems

There are more and more large-scale events in Switzerland. But large-scale environmental events are also becoming more frequent. This challenges not only the army, police and ambulance services, but also the fire department. Situation management systems are very useful for managing these events.
Article

That's why flexible firefighting software is needed

Digitization is a process. That's why we develop flexible solutions that can be expanded step by step. This is in the sense of integrating several fire department apps into one system, but also in the sense of creating interfaces to other systems, for example to local platforms.
Article

Which tablet is best for firefighting operations?

In the fire department, tablets with mission-relevant data are an important management aid. But which tablet is the best? There are different opinions on this, especially regarding iPads or Android tablets. Firetab supports both operating systems.
Article

Here's how to use Firetab to get a lead on the approach

During the approach, you'll want to view event information, aggravations, and documents as quickly as possible to gain a leadership edge. Read how you can use the Firetab system.
Article

How fire departments benefit from navigation systems

More and more fire departments want a navigation system. This is especially handy for large incident areas and newly arrived drivers. Firetab shows on screens the event location and with one touch on the Firetab tablet the navigation to the event starts.
Interview

This is how the Zofingen Fire Department uses the Firetab deployment software

For Simon Graber, the deputy chief control center of the Zofingen militia and base fire department, the Firetab software is an extremely helpful tool for efficiently handling all data and deployment plans. Here he reports on his experiences.
Article

Valuable helpers: Apps for the fire department

Tablets and smartphones are also becoming increasingly important for firefighting operations and exercises. This is shown by numerous offers in the app store. Which apps are really helpful and how can they be optimally combined?
Article

Alarm display - decisive in the first seconds

Streets and areas with similar names, but located in completely different parts of the city, exist in every large town. Thanks to the Firetab Screen alarm display, every emergency vehicle quickly arrives at the right place.
Interview

Why Firetab is a stroke of luck for the Murten fire department region

The Murten Region Militia Fire Department manages a diverse range of services, since September 2016 with Firetab. This software is indispensable for Claudio Mignot, commander of the Murten Region Fire Department, the advantages are clear.
Interview

Rapida App: the perfect complement to Firetab

Where is the next assignment? When are how many batches on site? What information is important? The Rapida smartphone app enables communication among members of the fire department and other blue-light organizations. Commander Claudio Mignot provides information.
Article

Using findings from exercises for emergencies

In the field, it is crucial to be properly prepared. Preparation includes fire drills, optimally assembled and maintained firefighting equipment, but also the management of data and information about the objects in the area. Firetab supports in training and in case of emergency.
Interview

With Firetab we have a deployment software for everything

How is Firetab used by fire departments? We asked Urs Ackermann, Deputy Commander of the Pizol Fire Department.
Article

How the Lonza plant fire department benefits from Firetab

The Lonza plant fire department has been working with Firetab since 2017. Diego Zeiter, Deputy Commander of the plant fire department is enthusiastic about the software and sees clear advantages.
Article

How regional governing bodies benefit from Firetab

A single event develops into a large-scale operation. While the fire department was initially in charge of the operation, a regional command organization (RFO) takes the reins during the escalation. Firetab System guarantees a seamless flow of information in this situation.