Use case: Structural fire

From the moment that the fire is detected till the last embers are out NSC3™ can be the eyes and ears of your organization when seconds count.  

Things that the Commander must make rapid decisions about: 

  • Life safety 
  • Incident stabilization 
  • Property conservation 
  • Environment protection 

Structural Triage

  • Limited ways in and out.
  • What is the building used for (what is stored inside)?
  • Cannot tell where the fire is.
  • Has the fire been burning undetected? 
  • Must determine floor plan or layout (no pre-tire intel).
  • Construction Type. 

Here are the stages of a structural fire:

  • Incipient – This first stage begins when heat, oxygen and a fuel source combine and have a chemical reaction resulting in fire.  This is also known as “ignition” and is usually represented by a very small fire. However, it often (and hopefully) goes out on its own, before the following stages are reached.  Therefore recognizing a fire in this stage provides your best chance at suppression or escape.  
  • Growth – The growth stage is where the structure's fire load and oxygen are used as fuel for the fire. Numerous factors affect this stage. For example, where the fire started, what combustibles are near it, ceiling height, and the potential for “thermal layering”. In fact, it is during this shortest of the 4 stages when a deadly “flashover” can occur: potentially trapping, injuring, or killing firefighters. 
  • Fully Developed – When the growth stage has reached its max and all combustible materials have been ignited, a fire is considered fully developed.  Therefore this is the hottest phase of a fire and the most dangerous for anybody trapped within.
  • Decay – Usually the longest stage of a fire, the characteristic ot the decay stage is  a significant decrease in oxygen or fuel, putting an end to the fire. There are two common dangers during this phase. First, the existence of non-flaming combustibles, which can potentially start a new fire if not fully extinguished. Second, there is the danger of a backdraft when oxygen is reintroduced to a volatile, confined space.
   

How NSC3 ™ can aid in firefighting

Structural Fire Fighting contains a complex combination of ingredients. Above all, it creates a difficult set of decision-making in a short amount of time. Therefore having more eyes and ears on the scene is how we can help. 

When you need to disseminate all the information to make intelligence-based decisions across your organization you might consider this: 

Owning  or subscribing to a robust scalable communications platform is what NSC3™ brings to the scene of the Fire. 

Commanders and field crews can get Realtime Information to make intelligence-based decisions in a secure  environment. In particular, it enables higher awareness of the situation as it unfolds. 

The NSC3 Platform ™  is made up of these component apps:

NSC Webapp ™ a web application that provides a dashboard view through any device that supports a web browser. Therefore, this allows the Command Center and field locations to be on the same page throughout the deployment of the fire.

NSC Mobile ™ enables video from smartphones to be streamed, recorded and shared with team members. Also, NSC Mobile ™ allows team members to see the video stream from drones and different mobile phones. Furthermore, features include Push-To-Talk, mapping and chat capabilities.

NSC Drone ™ enables live video streaming from the drone camera or cameras. Other than that, it allows secure recording for after-action review, training and evidence, if needed.

NSC IOT ™ enables to integrate other devices, such as cameras, sensors, and license plate readers into the platform. If your vehicles are equipped with mobile routers, NSC3 ™ can add more capability to your investment. Additionally, NSC IOT ™ can be installed to the building video management system to remotely access the feed immediately after a fire alarm or 911-call.

The use of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or Drones are becoming a widely used tool in firefighting. The ability to share live images securely from the drone to the team on the ground without the need for additional hardware is what makes the NSC Platform ™ unique. Furthermore, the images from drones that have thermal cameras as well as daylight cameras can be broadcast, recorded, and stored. As the fire stages evolve you can get real-time updates to make decisions on where and when to deploy resources.

When a second is a lifetime