According to Greek mythology, Prometheus went to Mount Olympus and stole fire from the gods to give to the humans.(Cartwright, 2013) According to Apache Indians, the clever fox took fire from the fireflies and gave it to the Indians as a gift.(Journal of American Folklore, 1898) While these may be a few explanations for the origins of fire, they do not explain why things burn. That is why we have science.

There are four elements which must be present for a fire to exist: fuel, heat, an oxidant, and a chemical chain reaction. The combination of these four elements is called the fire tetrahedron. Fire cannot exist without these four elements present and in the right proportions, therefore, any fire can be extinguished by removing just one of these elements. The four conventional types of fire extinguishers are water, foam, carbon dioxide, and powder. Water fire extinguishers are used to take away the heat element of the tetrahedron. Foam and carbon dioxide fire extinguishers remove the oxygen and heat from the fire. And lastly, dry powder fire extinguishers separate the fuel from the oxygen by removing the heat element. (FEMA, 2017)  Until recently, using any of these methods of extinguishing fires has required a human element for execution.

Because firefighting can be deadly, advancing technology for the protection of firefighters is vital. Technology used in the protection of firefighters has become significantly better than that which was used to fight the first recorded fire in America in 1608. (Legeros, 2006)  Jacobus Turck designed the first firefighting helmet in the 1730’s. Henry T. Gratacap created what is know as the “traditional” firefighting helmet, in the mid-1830s. The first self-contained breathing apparatus was invented by James Braidwood in 1863. (Hasenmeier, 2008) As the equipment used in firefighting became more advanced, the National Fire Prevention Association felt the need to create standards for turnout gear.

With consideration to the NFPA standards set in 1975 and updated regularly, as recently as 2013, companies like Firedex have continued to develop better gear to protect our firefighters.  Nomex Nano and Nano Flex technologies, developed by Dupont, have been used by Firedex to create the TECGEN71 firefighting suit. Nomex Nano was designed to help with the heat stress of firefighters by reducing the thickness of turnout gear by 40%. The Nomex Nano Flex flame resistant solutions were created to be lighter weight, more flexible, and more protective for a superior performance. (DuPont, 2017) Using Nomex technology along with Kevlar, Firedex created TECGEN71, the most advanced turnout gear there is. TECGEN71 is 15% lighter, 40% thinner, and 70% more flexible than other turnout gear, without losing any thermal protective performance. (Fire-Dex)  However, even with this new personal protective equipment, still 69 firefighters lost their lives in 2016, according to the NFPA.

Because so many firefighter deaths are still occurring, scientists are working to develop new firefighting robots which will take the place of human firefighters. One of the most advanced firefighting robots is THOR/SAFFiR. THOR stands for Technical Hazardous Operations Robot. It was designed for the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot (SAFFiR) program. It has the capabilities to navigate unstable floors, use hoses, and open doors. While this is a huge development in firefighting technology, THOR stands 177 cm tall, which is rather large, and it is slow and susceptible to water and fire damage. There is also the Thermite Robot. Originally designed as an IED neutralizer, it has been modified to put out fires by pumping 500 gallons of water per minute. The Thermite Robot can be controlled from up to a quarter mile away, and though it pumps only a third of the amount of water that a fire engine does, it also costs considerably less. The Fire Ox, another firefighting robot, carries its own water tank and can travel in unsafe situations that would be too dangerous for humans. It can be controlled from up to 200 miles away, so it can fight wildfires and industrial fires without humans having to be near the flames. Its only downfall is its size. The Fire Ox was originally designed as a Squad Mission Support System for the military, so it is close to the size of a tank, which limits the places it can go, especially when fighting structure fires. Finally, there is the Turbine Aided Firefighting Machine (TAF 20), which uses turbines as a creative new way to fight fires in small spaces, such as hallways or tunnels. The TAF 20 can spray 925 gallons of water per minute and it can be controlled from a third of a mile away. However, its range is limited because it must be connected to a hose. (Eastern Kentucky University)

As is evident from the above examples, firefighting technology has been advancing in recent years, however, according to a local firefighter, not much has changed in the Mobile area in the last 25 years. DuPont’s Nomex technology is used in the turnout gear of firefighters in Mobile, however, the turnout gear is designed for a six-foot-tall, 180-pound man, so for men and women who are not that size, the gear can be heavy and hard to handle. There have been some developments in the communication technology that is being used. Bluetooth microphones and speakers are being used to have clearer communication between firefighters while they are in the field. Firefighters also have thermal imaging cameras which help them see through thick smoke. In the last 10 years tests have been performed in Mobile to try out fire grenades, which can be thrown into a fire to reduce the fire and drop the temperature in the room quickly for increased survivability for victims and less heat stress for firefighters. Although all of this new technology is very useful, it still does not fully protect the firefighter. (Avsec, 2013) The Naval Research Laboratory has done robotics research at the ex USS Shadwell, which is docked in Mobile Bay, but local firefighters have not participated in the testing.

Although the origins of fire are not known, the fact remains that fire still exists, and it is dangerous. While advances in personal protective equipment and robotic firefighting have been made, there is still research that needs to be done and products that need to be developed in order to have the ideal firefighting technology. Costs also need to come down so that local fire stations can afford the new technology and everyone is able to go home safely.

 

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Bibliography

Avsec, R. (2013, October 16). Retrieved from Fire Rescue 1: firerescue1.com

Cartwright, M. (2013, April 20). Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from ancient.eu

DuPont. (2017). Retrieved from DuPont: dupont.com

Eastern Kentucky University. (n.d.). Retrieved from EKU Online: safetymanagement.eku.edu/resources/articles/the-use-of-robotics-in-firefighting/

FEMA. (2017). Retrieved from Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association: femalifesafety.org

Fire-Dex. (n.d.). Retrieved from Fire-Dex: firedex.com

Hasenmeier, P. (2008, 06 16). Retrieved from Fire Engineering: fireengineering.com

Journal of American Folklore (Vols. 11, No. 43). (1898). American Folklore Society.

Legeros. (2006, 02 13). Retrieved from Firehouse: forums.firehouse.com