In the aftermath of the tragic deaths of 19 Arizona firefighters, the Florida Forest Service is outfitting its firefighters on the frontlines with GPS tracking systems. Using GPS tracking software, supervisors will know the location of each firefighter at any time, and be able to reach them more quickly in the event of an emergency.
The new GPS tracking program is being implemented in hopes of increasing the safety of those closest to potentially deadly blazes, including those using bulldozers to push back fire lines. According to the forest service, the program is possibly the first of its kind for firefighters. The GPS tracking program does not require cell phone or Internet service, but rather relies on “packets” of electronic information sent to supervisors’ laptops provided they are within a two mile range of the GPS tracking device.
