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| Brian McCready, Register Staff | December 11, 2002 |
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| Milford fire trucks to carry latest PCs | ||||||||
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| MILFORD — In a few weeks, the Fire Department will be the first in the state to have computers in all fire trucks so that firefighters can see the interior of major commercial building while driving to a fire, officials said. |
| Mobile computer terminals are now being installed in the trucks to show firefighters maps of the quickest route for arrival, pre-fire planning information, floor plans and whether the buildings have any hazardous materials, officials said. When a person calls 911, the dispatcher will type in the address, which goes to the new computers and immediately displays all the information firefighters will need to fight the fire safely. The state-of-the-art equipment was purchased through a $112,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, of which the city agreed to contribute $48,000, said Fire Chief Louis LaVecchia. "It’s one-of-a-kind equipment, and we’ll be the only one on the East Coast to have this extremely unique equipment," LaVecchia said. "Its main purpose is to enhance firefighter safety." LaVecchia said the computers are full size, not laptops, and are equipped to withstand the rigorous motion of the truck. He said $160,000 was spent to buy seven computers, and the department hopes to purchase five more in the future. The chief said information on all commercial buildings and virtually everything that is a non-single family residence will be stored inside the computer’s hard drive. Fire Capt. Richard Mohr said the computer system will give firefighters so much more valuable information than they currently have when arriving at a scene. "We’ll know where all the exits are and where to shut off utilities, and we’ll also know if there’s something inside that may blow up in our faces," Mohr said. Mohr said seeing a building’s layout will also assist firefighters in safely removing victims trapped inside a burning building. The fire department also utilizes the state Department of Transportation emergency response guide, which includes information on hazardous chemicals. Now that vital information will also be stored in the computer, Mohr said. Mayor James Richetelli Jr. said the best fire department in the state is about to get even better. "Our fire department is out in front of most departments … and we’re very proud of them," Richetelli said. "The people of Milford should feel great to have such a fine department with great equipment and dedicated firefighters." In 2000 the fire department was ranked one of the top three departments in the region by the Insurance Services Office Inc. of New York. ISO is a private company that provides information to the insurance industry. It studied the Milford Fire Department in May 2000. ISO ranked 45,000 departments nationwide and only 44, including Milford, accumulated the 90 or more points needed to place them in a Class 1 category. Milford joined Hartford and Cambridge, Mass., as the only Class 1 departments in New England.
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| İNew Haven Register 2002 |
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