GPS Tracking Device Launch by RoGO Communications for Wildland Firefighters
RoGO Communications, a company dedicated to developing lifesaving technology for firefighters and first responders, has launched a new product – DropBlock 2.0. This innovative device is designed specifically to enhance wildfire response and management efforts.
Key Features of DropBlock 2.0
- Rapid Deployment: DropBlock 2.0 can be quickly and easily deployed in wildfire-affected areas, facilitating immediate setup of communication networks.
- Mesh Network Technology: The system uses a resilient mesh network that can self-heal and adapt to changing conditions in real-time, ensuring consistent connectivity even when some nodes fail or are destroyed.
- Portable and Rugged Design: DropBlock 2.0 is highly portable and built to withstand tough environmental conditions typical of wildfire zones, such as heat, smoke, and rough terrain.
- Extended Range and Coverage: The device offers extended wireless coverage, allowing communication across large wildfire areas where traditional networks might not reach.
- Interoperability: DropBlock 2.0 is designed to work with existing communication equipment used by emergency responders, facilitating seamless integration into current workflows.
- Integrated Sensors and Data Capabilities: The system supports real-time environmental monitoring data, such as air quality, temperature, and smoke density, to aid situational awareness.
Benefits of DropBlock 2.0
- Improved Communication Reliability: Ensures first responders and management teams remain connected in difficult wildfire conditions, enhancing coordination and safety.
- Faster Incident Response: Enables faster setup of communication infrastructure on-site, reducing delays in deploying firefighting and rescue teams.
- Enhanced Situational Awareness: Real-time data integration helps decision-makers monitor wildfire progression and environmental conditions accurately.
- Cost-Effective and Scalable: Its modular design allows agencies to tailor the deployment size and capabilities to the scale of the wildfire incident.
- Increased Safety for Personnel: Reliable communication and monitoring reduce risks for firefighters and emergency personnel operating in hazardous wildfire environments.
DropBlock 2.0 also offers features such as sharing hyper-local weather information, including wind speed, direction, temperature, humidity, and other IoT sensor data. A new smartphone app in development by RoGO will provide point-to-point communications and tactical collaboration at the edge, in addition to sharing location and weather data.
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management field-tested DropBlocks with six wildland fire handcrews. Rod Goossen, the CEO of RoGO, stated that the reduced size and weight of DropBlock 2.0 enable immediate deployment during a wildfire. DropBlock 2.0 is smaller in size and weight, making it suitable for wildland firefighters who often work in remote areas without cellular networks.
Rod Goossen and his brother Derek, who have both served on teams fighting more than 100 wildfires, founded RoGO to develop technology that can save the lives of wildland firefighters. In addition to firefighting, RoGO satellite-based products and services support first responders in disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and search and rescue operations.
DropBlocks are used to track the location of various resources, such as bulldozers, water tenders, fire engines, high-value structures, medical evacuation rescue, and makeshift water resources. The new DropBlock 2.0 is a significant step forward in enhancing wildfire response and management, offering a robust, adaptable, and rapid communication solution critical for disaster response operations.
- In the realm of environmental science, RoGO Communications' DropBlock 2.0 incorporates advanced technology to address climate-change-related issues, particularly wildfires.
- Remarkably, DropBlock 2.0 doubles as a tool for sports enthusiasts, with its potential application in auto-racing for real-time data sharing and enhanced communication among teams.
- Furthermore, the updates in DropBlock 2.0 can beneficially integrate with data-and-cloud-computing systems, aiding researchers in weather predictions and forecasting.
- Aside from wildfires, this technology can find relevance in various gadgets designed to streamline data transmission and facilitate quick decision-making in numerous fields, from science to sports.
