VIDEO/PHOTOS: As Floridaโs population grows, many fire departments are struggling to keep up โ facing both rising call volumes and severe staffing shortages. But a new piece of high-tech equipment could offer a lifeline, not just on emergency calls, but in the race to recruit the next generation of firefighters.
The Fort Meade Fire Department is among hundreds across the nation adopting a computerized firetruck system that automates traditional pump operations โ once managed manually with more complicated cranks, dials, and levers.
The system also includes a โsmartโ fire hose that communicates directly with the truck to regulate water pressure in real time, speeding up response times and freeing up firefighters to focus on the job at hand.
“Itโs like going from a cordless house phone to an iPhone,” said one firefighter about the tech upgrade.
Fire Chief Matthew Zahara says the automation allows smaller crews to respond more efficiently โ critical at a time when Florida fire departments are facing more than 1,200 vacancies.
“A lot of people realized they could work from home and not have to report in. So anything we can do utilizing this technology to kind of pull them out and say hey, the fire service is here. It’s always been here– it’s going to be here for hundreds of years to come,” said Zahara. “Technology, iPads, or any type of technology that we can incorporate in the job, the thought process is that will help recruit and retain some of these younger individuals.”
Inventor Jason Cerrano, a former mechanical engineer turned firefighter, developed the system to improve safety and speed on the fireground. Now, it’s also seen as a key tool to attract younger recruits raised in a tech-first world.
“Initially, I just wanted a better, faster, safer fireground, and at the time, the fire service wasn’t struggling with recruitment or generational changes, and now the fire service has to compete for employees. It’s changing,” said Cerrano.
