Chirange Geospatial tracking is a new tablet based solution that will permit accurate real-time tracking of firefighters in GPS denied locations like inside building structures, where GPS signals are mostly ineffective or non-existent.

Designed to be a natural addition to our Chirange Commander application Geospatial tracking will work on the same Android tablets and have close integration with the Chirange Commander, though will have dedicated functionality specifically designed for BA and SCBA officers who’s duty is no manage firefighters deployed with breathing apparatus and maintain the BA/SCBA entry control boards.

Chirange Geospatial Tracking will effectively work like a 3D indoor positioning system (dead reckoning), providing BA officers with a clear visual image of where firefighters are located inside the building, with an accuracy of up to one metre.  Firefighters, who are equipped with a small rugged inertial navigation tracking unit worn inside their PPE or attached to the BA set, can have their locations monitored while they are deployed inside buildings.

Live tracking data is transmitted by the geospatial tracker unit over RF and wireless systems, with this data then displayed in a 3D wireframe view that is a simple graphic representation of the building structure on the BA officers tablet screen.

Firefighters are clearly identified by name and a screen icon on the 3D wireframe view, with their longitude, latitude and altitude position also listed in a label box, enabling BA/SCBA officers to know exactly where each firefighter is located inside the building and permit them to monitor all movements in real time and guide firefighters out by radio communications or navigate any rescue teams to the known positions of firefighter if required.

 “The single main objective of Chirange Geospatial tracking is to substantially improve the safety of firefighters wearing BA/SCBA equipment inside buildings and making their locations known to BA officers tasked with managing their safety.”  

Chirange Geospatial will also provide a switchable 2D “top down” satellite view in Google maps, which is available to be viewed anytime by the Incident Commander or other fire officers involved with the incident, which gives a simple aerial view of the positions of Firefighters wearing BA/SCBA with geospatial trackers.

There are future plans to import 3D CAD drawings for larger buildings and sites such as shopping centres, office blocks or sports arenas, so allowing for much more detailed information about floor layouts, exit locations to be visible to BA officers, these layouts would be layered in geo-accurate positions over the Google maps providing building floor plan layout details combined with geospatial tracking data.

Key features of Chirange Geospatial Tracking

• Geospatial Tracking will accurately monitor the positions of firefighters inside buildings.
• The geospatial tracker unit will seamlessly switch from GPS to inertial tracking mode (outdoors/indoors).
• Commanders can generate on the fly simple 3D wireframe drawings of any building, which is superimposed in geo-accurate position on the GIS (Google maps).
• Chirange Geospatial Tracking will provide accurate position coordinates overlaid on GIS, stating 3D data positioning measuring height (altitude) along with distance and direction firefighters are moving with a visual breadcrumb trail.

The Chirange Geospatial Tracking application is currently being developed in close co-operation with our US technology partner who manufacturer inertial tracking units, and will be available on the Android tablet platform.  We plan for field trials by selected fire and rescue services to take place during summer 2012 with the commercial release of the Chirange Geospatial tracking solution being scheduled for later in the year.

Chirange Geospatial Tracking Trial Opportunity  

If you are a Fire and Rescue organisation and would perhaps be interested in taking part in the planned field trials using this geospatial tracking technology, please do contact us using the form on our Contacts page and we will be happy to discuss this opportunity with you.

Email:  geospatial@chirange.com

Integrated Telemetry/BA Control Board Data

In the near future we are planning to take Chirange Geospatial Tracking a step further, by fully utilising the geospatial tracking technology and integrating it with existing BA/SCBA set telemetry data that also links into the electronic BA/SCBA entry control boards.  Then using this information to provide a fully digital BA/SCBA entry control screen that works on the Chirange tablet computer so BA officers can have full access to critical BA/SCBA data anywhere on the incident ground.

The advantage here is bringing together a range of live data and information, but also fully utilising the intelligence of the Chirange tablet application to automatically cover many important monitoring tasks for BA/SCBA entry control officers.  Linked to the BA control board, digital timer clocks with auto calculating intelligent functionality will also monitor any telemetry data, known air time remaining and generate automatic visual screen alerts when firefighters need to exit the building.