Wednesday, July, 30 2025

Nature: SCBA / RIT Pack Awareness Activities & Benefit of Drone Units in the Fire Service

Location: Station 1 - Oak Orchard 

On Wednesday, July 30^th, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company hosted its monthly firefighter training activities which focused on the following topics:

1. Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) / Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) – Buddy Breathing Systems

A buddy breathing system on a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) allows two firefighters to share a single air supply in emergency situations, providing a crucial lifeline when one firefighter's air supply is compromised. This system, often referred to as a Buddy Breather or Emergency Breathing Supply System (EBSS), is typically a short hose with connectors that allows for quick attachment and sharing of air.

Efforts to connect to the buddy breather was practiced during the drill exercises.

2. Drone Usage in the Fire Service

Drones offer a wide range of benefits that are revolutionizing firefighting operations, enhancing safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Illustrated and reviewed are some of these benefits:

• Enhanced Situational Awareness: Drones provide real-time aerial views and data to incident commanders and firefighters, offering a comprehensive perspective of the fire scene, including its size, spread, and behavior, which can be obscured by smoke and obstacles on the ground. This allows for better-informed decisions on resource allocation, strategies, and evacuation routes.

• Increased Firefighter Safety: Drones reduce the need for firefighters to enter hazardous environments without prior assessment. They can identify dangers like structural weaknesses, hazardous materials, and unstable structures, minimizing risks to human responders.

• Faster Response Times: Drones can be deployed quickly, reaching incident scenes faster than ground crews or traditional aerial assets like helicopters. This rapid deployment provides immediate reconnaissance and critical information, allowing for faster decision-making and more efficient containment efforts.

• Improved Search and Rescue Operations: Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras can detect heat signatures through smoke, darkness, and debris, making them invaluable for locating trapped or missing individuals in dangerous environments, according to www.dronefly.com. They can also deliver supplies or facilitate communication with those in distress.

• Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Optimization: Compared to traditional aerial firefighting methods like helicopters, drones are more cost-effective in terms of operation, fuel, and maintenance. They can also reduce the need for extensive manpower, leading to improved resource allocation.

• Post-Fire Assessment and Recovery: Drones are instrumental in surveying the damage after a fire has been contained. They can create detailed maps and 3D models of affected areas, assisting in investigations, insurance claims, and planning recovery and restoration efforts.

• Emergency Communication and Coordination: Drones can act as communication relays in areas where traditional communication infrastructure is damaged or non-existent, ensuring continuous communication and coordination among different teams and agencies involved in firefighting operations.

• Wildfire Management: Drones are increasingly being used to monitor wildfires, map their perimeters, identify hotspots, and even assist in controlled burns by dropping ignition devices in hard-to-reach areas.

• Hazardous Material Detection: Drones equipped with specialized sensors can detect hazardous materials like gas leaks or chemical spills from a safe distance, minimizing risks to first responders.

• Training and Simulation: Drones can be used in fire simulation exercises and for recording responses to emergency scenarios, allowing firefighters to review their performance and identify areas for improvement in a safer environment.

In essence, drones are becoming an indispensable tool for fire departments by offering a bird's-eye view, enhancing safety for personnel, speeding up response times, assisting in search and rescue, and optimizing overall operational efficiency.

Illustrated herewith are some of the activities that our firefighters were able to participate within.