Equipped with a computer that gives fire officers a vast amount of information literally at their fingertips, a 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe command vehicle was recently purchased and put into service by the city’s Bureau of Fire.
Instead of pulling information from a small selection of bulky technical books that were kept in the back of a 2003 Ford Expedition, officers will now be able to turn on a computer that will give them information on how best to handle any emergency situation, like a hazardous materials spill or release.
“We can find the owners of certain structures if we need it simply by going on the county’s website. The computer holds all our SARA Title III plans, (for emergency preparedness),” Deputy Fire Chief David Dymeck said.
“Technology is a huge improvement with this vehicle,” he added.
“Probably close to half the storage space used in the back of the Expedition was taken up by books,” Platoon Chief Sam Aungst said, referring to the SUV that is being replaced by the new command vehicle.
“Those books always had to be updated with new information, so we were buying new books. With this web-based computer program, the information is automatically updated,” Dymeck said.
During a recent demonstration at fire headquarters on Walnut Street, Dymeck typed in “chlorine leak” on the computer. In an instant, information popped up on the screen outlining what special precautions firefighters had to take and what protective clothing they had to wear.
The computer also told officers what evacuation steps needed to be taken depending the severity of the leak.
Every firefighter has a name tag or clip, and upon arriving at a fire scene, the firefighter hands his name clip to the incident commander, who will place it on a new incident command case or board at the back of the Tahoe.
“The way this command case is laid out, it is much more user friendly (than the older model),” Dymeck said, adding that the incident commander can “keep track of where personnel are on the scene” and what jobs they are performing.
The command case consists of a large board where a fire officer – using a highlighter –“can draw the scene, create a check list of special things that one has to think about,” Dymeck said.
The command vehicle was purchased from Sherwood Chevrolet of Tunkhannock. The cost was $60,000, which includes the special equipment. The city is leasing it for three years and then will buy it for $1. Much of the funding came from allocated funds through the Pennsylvania Fire Commissioner’s Office, Dymeck said.
The truck’s interior was done by TRM Emergency Vehicle Specialists in Boyerstown.
“Another advantage with this new vehicle is the way it is designed and laid out,” Dymeck said, adding that it compartmentalized is such a way that an air pack, a medical bag and other emergency equipment are safely secured in the mid section of the SUV.
The 2003 Expedition will be used by Dymeck, whose fire emergency vehicle sustained extensive damage when a tree fell on it during a storm earlier this year.
