The fire service has always been able to look toward the military as a source of methods and ideas in meeting the challenges both face. What’s next on the horizon?
Enter “Big Dog”.
Big Dog is the newest entry into robotic assistance to the foot soldier. Imagine the possibilities for such a buddy on the fireground:
1. Big Dog could hump the supply line while the firefighter who forgot to tag the hydrant can run ahead and prepare for connection.
2. When it comes to RIT activities, Big Dog can be pre-supplied with all the equipment necessary whilst staging close to the potential entry point.
3. Four Big Dogs together can each hold a corner of a rescue net to catch jumping fire victims, constantly adjusting their position based upon facial recognition technology of the terrified occupant readying their decent.
4. Fitted with a “Chief Seat” ala Captain Kirk’s on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, Big Dog can give the Incident Commander or Safety Officer complete mobility around any fire scene, effectively negotiating the pile of spaghetti hose, hard-working firefighters, piles of dog crap, and those annoying puddles of water that are so damn destructive to fire chief’s bunker boots with tassels.
5. Back at the station, during those slow times when firefighters get bored and invariably turn to a video camera for merriment, Big Dog can join in as firemen try to improve what they think are their best dance moves as they prepare for the new NBC show “So, You Want To Dance With a Firefighter?”
Like some firefighters, Big Dog might currently be too slow, too large, and in need of constant manipulation by his crew. It still takes Big Dog a long time to get dressed up in all his gear, rarely making the 60-second threshold of his peers.
He seems to let off plenty of gas, too. He’ll fit right in!
But he is already advanced enough to be able to mimic some firefighters by the sheer noise he emits when pressed into action at “the big one.”
Help me, I can’t stop- there are so many possibilities!
Care to offer more?
-Stay stoked!
-J
Loading ...
View Comments