By Alan M. Petrillo

The fire truck of the future is fast becoming an electronically controlled vehicle, and many technological systems are making the vehicles more efficient, easier to operate, simpler to maintain and repair, and safer to use when fighting fires.

Some of the systems being put on fire trucks are bringing the future to today-artificial intelligence in the form of envelope control for aerials, automatic and wireless water streams for pumpers and aerials, avoidance control systems, and all-around camera usage.

Have No Fear

Trapper Meadors, sales engineer for Precision Fire Apparatus, thinks the fire truck of the future is here now. “The technology that manufacturers are putting into fire trucks today is far surpassing anything done in the past,” Meadors says. “And, the customer base is embracing it. We’re building trucks with electric valves, control screens that control pumps, and screens that show where equipment is stowed or if it’s deployed. And, we see that kind of technology use only increasing.”

Meadors notes that the younger generation of firefighters “embraces the newer technology and is used to using touch screens and computerized equipment, which help provide a more streamlined operation of fire trucks.”

Jason Witmier, product manager of aerials for KME, says that the use of electronics still “scares some people in the fire service. When the fire service first started using electronics, they took electrical devices for industrial applications and used them in fire trucks. Sometimes they didn’t work well, and there’s a generation of firefighters that remembers that.”

The Westminster (MA) Fire Department had KME build its new pumper with all electronic valves and an electronic pressure governor, which allows for a shorter wheelbase and more maneuverability of the rig. The electronics also simplify operation of the pumper. (Photo courtesy of KME.)

However, Witmier believes that electronics on fire trucks have made great inroads recently. “We’ve turned the corner in the last five years,” he says, “because manufacturers developed devices specifically for our industry and made them function without problems.” Witmier points out that electric valves and pressure governors allow manufacturers to shorten the pump enclosure, which allows a shorter wheelbase that gives more maneuverability to the truck. “Or, you could keep the same wheelbase,” he adds, “and get a lot more storage space.”

Dave Rider, director of global product development for Smeal Fire Apparatus, believes the industry will see a lot more integration of touch screens on fire trucks. “The younger generation is used to iPads and iPhones,” he says. “So, integrating that technology into the fire service gives us the iFiretruck.”

Controlling the Truck

Lisa Barwick, director of business development for product management at Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says Pierce recently upgraded its Command Zone multiplexing system to bring new technology and enhancements to controlling fire trucks. “We used voice-of-the-customer feedback to determine what was important to firefighters-elements like a touch screen and where buttons should be placed,” Barwick points out. “We used that i

By Alan M. Petrillo

The fire truck of the future is fast becoming an electronically controlled vehicle, and many technological systems are making the vehicles more efficient, easier to operate, simpler to maintain and repair, and safer to use when fighting fires.

Some of the systems being put on fire trucks are bringing the future to today-artificial intelligence in the form of envelope control for aerials, automatic and wireless water streams for pumpers and aerials, avoidance control systems, and all-around camera usage.

Have No Fear

Trapper Meadors, sales engineer for Precision Fire Apparatus, thinks the fire truck of the future is here now. “The technology that manufacturers are putting into fire trucks today is far surpassing anything done in the past,” Meadors says. “And, the customer base is embracing it. We’re building trucks with electric valves, control screens that control pumps, and screens that show where equipment is stowed or if it’s deployed. And, we see that kind of technology use only increasing.”

Meadors notes that the younger generation of firefighters “embraces the newer technology and is used to using touch screens and computerized equipment, which help provide a more streamlined operation of fire trucks.”

Jason Witmier, product manager of aerials for KME, says that the use of electronics still “scares some people in the fire service. When the fire service first started using electronics, they took electrical devices for industrial applications and used them in fire trucks. Sometimes they didn’t work well, and there’s a generation of firefighters that remembers that.”

The Westminster (MA) Fire Department had KME build its new pumper with all electronic valves and an electronic pressure governor, which allows for a shorter wheelbase and more maneuverability of the rig. The electronics also simplify operation of the pumper. (Photo courtesy of KME.)

However, Witmier believes that electronics on fire trucks have made great inroads recently. “We’ve turned the corner in the last five years,” he says, “because manufacturers developed devices specifically for our industry and made them function without problems.” Witmier points out that electric valves and pressure governors allow manufacturers to shorten the pump enclosure, which allows a shorter wheelbase that gives more maneuverability to the truck. “Or, you could keep the same wheelbase,” he adds, “and get a lot more storage space.”

Dave Rider, director of global product development for Smeal Fire Apparatus, believes the industry will see a lot more integration of touch screens on fire trucks. “The younger generation is used to iPads and iPhones,” he says. “So, integrating that technology into the fire service gives us the iFiretruck.”

Controlling the Truck

Lisa Barwick, director of business development for product management at Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says Pierce recently upgraded its Command Zone multiplexing system to bring new technology and enhancements to controlling fire trucks. “We used voice-of-the-customer feedback to determine what was important to firefighters-elements like a touch screen and where buttons should be placed,” Barwick points out. “We used that i

Hauser Rural fire Protection District, North Bend, OR, Star Series pumper. Metro Star cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 380-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,250-gpm rear-mount pump.

The response time for Boston's emergency medical personnel to arrive at the scene of heart attacks, shootings, and other serious incidents has slowed in recent years, largely because of a little-understood surge in calls for help, city officials said.

The median response time for the most serious, or Priority 1, cases has trended upward since 2009, when it was 5.5 minutes. During 2014, it climbed to 6.4 minutes, above the agency's own goal of 6 minutes, according to data provided to the Globe by Boston Emergency Medical Services.

This year, through the end of October, the median response time was 6.8 minutes for Priority 1 cases.

"Obviously, I worry that the times have gone up," Boston EMS chief James Hooley said. "We really have to pay close attention to it."

However, he said, "We haven't seen that there has been any negative impact on our patients and their outcomes, and that's the ultimate thing we have to look for."

Boston EMS said it has seen a 26 percent rise in calls over the past decade, and said that the increase has driven a rise in response times.

The slower response times in Boston are similar to those in other cities, including San Jose, Calif., and Washington.

Boston EMS said it has seen a 26 percent rise in calls over the past decade, from about 95,500 in 2005 to about 120,000 in 2014. The agency said the increase in calls has driven the rise in response times.

"The call volume is way up. It's a very, very busy system," said James Orsino, union president of the EMS division of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association.

Priority 1 calls include heart attacks, uncontrollable arterial bleeding, and unconsciousness. Similar increases in response times have been seen in recent years for less-serious Priority 2 and Priority 3 calls.

Boston EMS officials said they have taken a number of steps in recent years to speed up response times.

The agency, which has 350 full-time staff, expanded its uniformed personnel by about 14 percent and added ambulances between 2008 and 2010. It also has staff work overtime hours when needed.

The agency opened a new EMS station, the 16th in the city, in downtown Boston several years ago. The agency is also working with city officials to find a home for a new EMS station in the burgeoning Innovation District.

And the agency just opened a new, larger EMS garage in Mattapan that it expects will improve response times in the surrounding neighborhood.

Agency officials also noted that they must balance speed against the risks that come with having ambulances career through busy streets.

While emphasizing the steps they have taken to address response-time issues, EMS officials also point to research in recent years suggesting that faster response times aren't necessarily linked to better outcomes for patients.

The research found that only certain types of emergencies, such as heart attacks, serious blood loss, and airway obstructions, are time-sensitive.

For more information, view www.bostonglobe.com