PASS Systems: Which counties use them?

[maus92]

I was reading the LODD report of a HCFD Fire LT who was killed a few years ago in a large house fire. Reference was made to their PASS system software not enabled for on-scene fire ops which I found a bit weird. Does anyone know of the jurisdictions in MD that use this system to its fullest extent, aka transmitting FF location and mobility information for accountability purposes? It operates on 900 MHz unlicensed frequencies, thus I assume it is very short ranged.

 

[jeepsandradios]

I can't imagine many do have that ability. In my 30years in the fire service I have never worn a pack that had the ability to track. Even our new packs bought last year do not have the ability. Just standard PASS alarms.

 

[empire550]

I have seen them in Demo or Beta testing but I haven't seen any in use at a fire. A lot are mesh systems that use distance to other units like telling someone that a person is down 235 feet to their right.

 

[riveter]

They are administratively and functionally rather awkward in most cases. Good thoughts, just tough to keep working accurately.

 

[APX7500X2]

They have been around for almost 10 years and getting better every year. The FDNY system is working on an upgrade that will use RFID and trackers on each floor to locate a firefighters Its all neat stuff. FDNY already has the RFID so when trucks arrive on scene the firefighters IDs are sucked into the computer to show whos on the fireground

What's new with firefighter accountability and tracking technology?

Changing from an active to a passive system might solve the persistent issue of lack of accountability as a contributing cause to firefighter LODDs

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