Larry Anderson

Information can transform and guide emergency response. For example, in a structure fire, real-time sensor feeds throughout a building can help 911 and first responders understand how the fire is prog...

To be a smart city, modern urban areas leverage technology to improve operations and services, in effect deploying a network of sensors and devices to collect data on city operations such as traffic f...

Wildfires swept through the Panhandle region of Texas earlier in 2024. The Smokehouse Creek Fire and the Windy Deuce Fire, both starting on Feb. 26, were the most significant outbreaks. The Smokehou...

Fire departments responded to an estimated average of 32,160 home fires involving electrical distribution and lighting equipment each year in 2015–2019, according to the National Fire Protection...

Firefighters face unique stresses and hazards that cause a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. In fact, cardiac events are the pioneering cause of o...

NFPA 1900, a new standard, applies to any fire apparatus purchased beginning in January 2024. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has introduced a new, broader standard that encompasses th...

The world is changing and challenging the fire service to keep up. The core missions of firefighting and fire prevention have not changed, but the environments in which those missions operate are chan...

An ISO rating is a score between one and ten that indicates how well a fire department serves its local community. Determined by the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), a subsidiary of Verisk Analy...

Technology increasingly makes it possible to identify wildfires early and before they get out of control.  Networks of video cameras watch wildlands for the first hint of fire, and now artificia...

Information systems drive greater situational awareness when emergency responders are rushing to the scene, including access to live-911 audio feeds, video of the unfolding emergency, and/or geographi...

A summer heat wave is a stark reminder of the aggravating impact of extreme temperatures on incidences of deadly medical emergencies, and the consequent greater burden on fire departments and emergenc...

Among residential fire hazards, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is probably not at the top of the list. However, there are fire risk factors related to HVAC that can be miti...

Chemicals broadly labeled as PFAs provide important properties to turnout gear used by firefighters, including better resistance to heat, water, and other hazards. Unfortunately, human exposure to per...

Two grant programs designed to address staffing, equipment, training, and health and safety needs of firefighters are scheduled to ‘sunset’ in 2024 unless Congress reauthorizes the grant p...

Faster 5G data speeds and low latency profoundly impact the speed of detection and response in the fire market. When seeking early detection of wildfires, for example, faster data speeds translate alm...

Not so long ago, there was a time when a dirty helmet symbolized firefighter bravado. A dirty helmet was seen as a testament to how hard a firefighter worked and the horrible conditions he or she with...

As motor vehicle designs evolve, including the addition of lithium-ion batteries, for example, firefighters and first responders must also adapt. They need information about the vehicle’s fuel a...

Requirements of the Fire Safety Act of 2021 go into effect commencing 23 Jan. 2023 in the United Kingdom. First proposed in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the Act addresses facets to streng...

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, in May 2022, a helmet camera recorded firefighters extinguishing a truck fire along I-94, catching every detail as sparks flew and firefighters hosed down the truck to sup...

The first volunteer firefighters in the United States predate the advent of career firefighters by more than a century. Benjamin Franklin started the first volunteer firefighting brigade in 1736, whil...