By JACK McLOUGHLIN
Innovation is the backbone of the fire service. For example, many tactics, although tried and true, are often tweaked on the fly for specific situations. Some pieces of equipment such as the halligan tool address specific tasks that must be accomplished on the fireground to bring an incident to a successful conclusion. Other equipment has come to market by those willing to think outside the box to create a product firefighters can use for various types of incidents. Fire Research Corporation (FRC) recently unveiled one such product—the “Little Guy.”
ROBOTICS FOR THE FIRE SERVICE
Robots have been used for many years and in many different disciplines. The fire service now uses drones, and radio-controlled hydrant valves have recently come to the market. It was only a matter of time before someone conceived a radio-controlled firefighting device. FRC did just that, only this radio-controlled device is aimed at more than just firefighting. This vehicle is the first that marries hose-laying capability, radio-controlled nozzles, chemical/radiation-detection equipment, and infrared and visual cameras. Departments can spec their apparatus with remotely controlled deck guns as well.
THE “LITTLE GUY”
FRC’s remotely controlled robot is a battery-powered, self-contained, track-driven motor vehicle that lays various sizes of its own hose as it proceeds toward an emergency. It weighs approximately 400 pounds and will fit into a 32-inch doorway; it can also climb over debris and up some stairs. “The final unit will have some modifications so it will hold approximately 800 to 1,000 feet of five-inch hose,” says FRC Founder and President Jack McLoughlin. “[Firefighters must predetermine] how far the fire is from the water source so the correct amount of hose is deployed.”
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| Photos courtesy of Fire Research Corporation. |
The Little Guy is designed to be brought to the fire scene on a small trailer and operated by two firefighters. One firefighter controls, by radio, the vehicle’s motion and direction, while the second firefighter (optional) operates the nozzle, an Elkhart 1,250-gallon-per-minute, radio-controlled deluge gun that can connect smooth bore, automatic fog, or foam nozzles. The thermal and visual cameras clip on to the remote-controlled nozzle, giving a wide-angle view with motion capabilities with both cameras. The sensing system is an off-shelf multigas sensing system; the radiation detector is also commercially available and can be attached to the vehicle. All basic components are made of aluminum and/or brass to help eliminate sparking problems, which is especially critical in hazardous environments. All information is transmitted back to the command post with the update rate of one second for all inputs.
“There are no friction loss concerns using the maximum flow rate as described,” asserts McLoughlin. He continues, “The cart section has a self-contained remote quick disconnect to eliminate any hang-up problems in case the vehicle has to be returned to the starting position.” The Little Guy is also designed to be picked up by a rated aerial platform and placed on a roof, where it can cut a hole in a roof to extinguish a fire. The device also includes lighting, infrared sensors, a self-protection nozzle, and hazmat detection. If Class A or Class B foam is going to be used, it may be necessary to change the nozzle at the end of the deck gun, but this must be done before the operation commences. The breaching tools being considered are an ultrahigh pressure device that has ablative material in the stream that can cut through steel, concrete, and so on.
SPECS AND APPLICATIONS
The Little Guy is a tool that is used for unique circumstances. McLoughlin initially sees the device being used for industrial firefighting, using water and foam and hazmat reconnaissance. The unit is controllable, in the present configuration, for up to a quarter of a mile. It is transportable by a pickup truck with a ramp and attains a top speed of two miles an hour while pulling a cart carrying the hose. With its robotic cutting devices, it can force entry. The Little Guy will operate for up to four hours of intermittent use.
There are many possible areas where this device can be used, such as propane or hydrocarbon storage areas, railroad yards, train crashes, highway trucking routes, aircraft situations, and explosive scenarios such as terrorist attacks or military storage areas. The basic unit can also be operated in a very wet environment. It will not short out by normal water operations such as cooling itself with its own nozzle. The electronics are stored in a sealed unit.
“We have applied for a number of patents and believe this technology has just started to evolve,” McLoughlin says. “It will obviously be useful in situations where it would be inadvisable to commit a firefighter.” For a video demonstrating the Little Guy, visit www.fireapparatus.com.
JACK McLOUGHLIN is the founder and president of Fire Research Corporation.
