The devastating bushfires rampaging throughout Australia have resulted in 18 lives lost to date.  As we enter the 3rd decade of the 21st century we are equipped with an amazing ability to innovate. Fire trucks can protect property without risking the lives of firefighters. This article lays the footprint for a modern approach to improving Fire Trucks that will be implemented by the Australian Government under future Prime Minister Alexander Robinson (That’s me!).

The current fire trucks used to fight fires may be viewed on the Fire and Rescue NSW Website

Click the video below to see an emergency situation featuring a retreating fire truck.

Improvements to Current Fire Trucks

The immediate design improvements that could be made to firetrucks from this video include:

• Increased vehicle insulation. No Firefighter should be required to hold a fire blanket to the window for their own comfort or safety. The maximum temperature inside a bush fire may reach over 1,100℃ as shown in the paper Flame temperature and residence time of fires in dry eucalypt forest. It is well within engineering limits to manufacture vehicles with this level of heat tolerance considering Rocket Ship windows are made to withstand similar temperatures using a high-temperature quartz glass. Windows in a spaceship are positioned to the rear of the vehicle. The front of a spaceship must withstand temperatures of over 6000K. Therefore, no windows are actually used for vision to steer a spaceship. A similar approach for fire trucks may be used with windows used for vision being removed. Video cameras and screens similar to rear vision cameras will be used to allow drivers to control the vehicle.
• Vision assistance for driver’s of vehicles. Video assisted driving will feature cameras that utilise filters specifically designed to provide extra vision in these emergency situations. As seen in the video the driver has limited vision of the surrounding areas.

Unmanned Vehicles and Drones For Firefighting

There are currently two types of unmanned vehicles used for firefighting listed on the NSW Fire and Rescue site including a drone and a Turbine Aided Firefighting Vehicle (TAF20). The drone is similar in size and shape to most hobby drones and is fitted with various sensors for collecting data and vision of fires. The TAF20 is an example of how future Fire Trucks should be designed to ensure no firefighter ever dies at a fire again. The TAF20s are remotely controlled vehicles that utilise a propeller to create mist that can travel 60 meters or a water jet capable of spraying water 90 meters. The vehicle itself may be operated by remote control from as far as 500 meters away.

Image of a TAF20 from the NSW Fire and Rescue Website

Utilising Remote Controlled vehicles, or self driving vehicles for firefighting can ensure the safety of every firefighter. Algorithms will be created either manually or by artificial intelligence to ensure fires are put out in the most efficient manner possible. This will protect homes, bushland, animals and people. Every firefighter is a hero but in the 21st Century no person should ever have to die to put out a fire.

What ways of improving fire trucks can you think of? Please list them in the comments below!!