EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
They say information is power, and in the case of Evansville Fire Department, that is definitely the case.
Thanks to new computer technology Evansville firefighters can now track severe weather, see all the fire hydrants in the area and know hidden tricks about the home they are about to enter-- and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Firefighters say this is a game changer for them.
It used to be that when firefighters were called out, they would have to pull out a thick book, find their location, and look for a little fire hydrant icon.
Cpt. Dan Brown said, "It doesn't tell me what kind of fire hydrant. Doesn't tell me if it's a good or a bad one."
Thanks to this 4g computer system, that's all changing.
"More info, larger maps...everything the dispatcher has in their system the fire fighter, or the chief see on the truck themselves," said Ryan Hobbs, EFD communications specialist.
That means they get a map telling them how far away other crews are, which hydrants are low on water pressure, and other useful information about an address that dispatch has from previous runs.
"Maybe the person is combative, or maybe they keep the back door screwed shut, just weird stuff," said Cpt. Brown.
Fire hydrants in Evansville are different colors based on how good they are.
Cpt. Brown said, "It will show us where every hydrant is, and they're color coded. That's information we didn't have before. You were basically limited to what you could see."
This technology will continue to develop in the future.
"we'll actually be able to get commercial building pre-plans, which will show fire fighters the actual blue prints for the building," said Ryan Hobbs.
The technology was made possible by a nearly half million dollar federal grant.
Every truck in the Evansville Fire Department has the new system, as well as a few fire trucks in other townships with in Vanderburgh County.
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