FIRE DEPARTMENTS TURN TO IPADS FOR ROUTINE CHECKS

New technology is helping firefighters do an old job. Now filing away data from those daily fire checks is as easy as click, click, submit with the help of an iPad."And then if I have the owners or managers e-mail address I can e-mail them straight from the site to them and it's done,” Humboldt Bay Fire Inspector Bill Walser said. Walser adds that it saves time and resources."Less supplies on that end of it— cost factor,” Walser said. “For the property owner that's less time spent on their inspection.”Walser is one of the first to use it in the department, but in the coming weeks all engines will be equipped with one. Utilizing an iPad for routine checks is nothing new to the Arcata Fire Department."We started about a year and a half ago,” Assistant Fire Chief Desmond Cowan said. “It's a great tool.” Cowan points out that it comes in handy for big events."Last year at the Oyster Festival we inspected about 35 booths in 40 minutes," Cowan said. Which frees up firefighters time to do tasks they may not always get to.“They’re more available to engage in either, other inspections, training, public education or any of the other assignments that they have in the course of the day," Cowan said.