Incident management is an essential practice designed to keep firefighters safe and accounted for while on the scene. Accountability tags and boards are the most common tools for incident management, and next-gen technology has created additional options for ensuring the safety of firefighters while on the fireground.
Accountability board and tag systems are designed to keep firefighting teams safe. A firefighter will be assigned a tag, which can indicate their name, roles, or qualifications, before arriving at the fireground. Once they arrive, the firefighter will ātag inā by giving their tag to the safety or sector officer before entering the structure. Upon leaving the structure, the officer will return the tag. This simple yet effective approach allows officers to always understand the location and status of their firefighters.
The principle behind accountability tags has been incorporated into new technologies, such as the MSAĀ® LUNAR system, which can stand independently or be integrated with MSA SCBA systems. Firefighters are assigned a LUNAR device that combines cellular connectivity, a LUNAR-to-LUNAR network, and directional data, so officers are always aware of a firefighterās location. Additionally, the LUNAR device includes a personal thermal imaging camera to improve situational awareness.
