WASHINGTON, DC – May 29, 2014 – Barone Consulting today orchestrated a successful demonstration of DARPA technology for Arizona firefighters, effectively expanding the use of military technology to other public service areas.
Team members, including Barone Consulting integration architect Marshall Frith and senior consultant Scott Ponsor, used elements from the Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program that were tailored for the firefighting community in a program called Fire Line Advanced Situational Awareness for Handhelds (FLASH).
“To see the application of this program to areas besides the military was fascinating,” Frith says. “We’ve been working to give our troops the tools they need in battle, and to see those tools translate to firefighting was very rewarding. The applications of this program are nearly limitless.”
PCAS is a program designed for the military with a goal to use advanced digital tools to overcome troop coordination challenges. By equipping soldiers with targeted technology for situational awareness, rather than paper maps and legacy communications systems, troops can more easily stay coordinated and ahead of the enemy.
Firefighters battling wildfires face similar challenges to troops in battle, including the need for situational awareness, precise coordination, and ensured safety from quickly moving and shifting flames. Advanced technology to fight these problems has not been readily available to most rural firefighters, until the aid of DARPA and PCAS.
FLASH, the firefighter version of PCAS, uses tablets, aircraft-mounted sensors and radios designed to identify the location of every firefighter and aircraft in expansive fire zones. The systems overlays multiple streams of information onto a digital map visible on tablet computers. In essence, FLASH gives every member of the firefighting team a real-time map of the flames and their resources, allowing them to more easily plan where the next attack will be.
During the three-day training demonstration with the Prescott Fire Department, firefighters were able to track each other’s positions with the help of an observation aircraft that provided a live, bird’s-eye view of the terrain. Frith worked with local fire officials to demonstrate and train on the tablet software and communications program. Ponsor facilitated a virtual connection, allowing participants in the Arizona command post and in DARPA headquarters in Virginia to view the event in real time.
“This technology is incredibly powerful,” Ponsor says. “Its ability to not only unite firefighters in troubling rural situations but to bring together people across the country is remarkable. It was an honor to be part of such a project.”
Members of the Prescott Fire Department, who were chosen for the exercise because of the heroic action of the 19 firefighters who gave their lives in the Yarnell Hill wildfire last year, were impressed with FLASH technology and hopeful the devices could be tailored for other areas, such as search and rescue efforts.
Founded in 2009, Barone Consulting provides system engineering and technical assistance services to the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. They provide a cadre of elite subject matter experts to the government in support of game-changing, cutting edge technologies that help performers bridge the “valley of death” between R&D and fielded tactically relevant products. To find out more, please visit www.baronedc.com.