Fire

Austin Goodrich

Director(s):

Growing up in Montana, Smoked filled summer months have become ever more common throughout our lifetime. The destructive power of fire has personally knocked at our doorstep. With the unanticipated consequences of total fire suppression policies in the 20th century and increasing global temperatures has provided a thick blanket abundant and extremely ignitable fuel source throughout our forests. As well as the increase in the use of dangerous chemicals which has brought the danger of fire closer to us all. What is the problem? Currently there is large, overbuilt and costly infrastructure being used to mix, fill, and distribute Fire-retardant. Fire safety personal use large, truck and fixed bag systems where base chemicals have to be manually poured, or mechanically hoisted into 3rd party mixing tanks and then pumped into transportable fire equipment tanks, and deployed to site. Decreasing response time of fire personnel can hinder, or completely prevent the saving of the public life, property, and valuable resources. How can it be solved? Using direct chemical injection and pre-loaded capsules connected to an adjustable valve that will mix the outflow water with the desired retardant concentrate creating a uniform and consistent mix of retardant that can be used at the flick of a switch. How will it be implemented? This technology could be implemented on a range of fire equipment, such as municipal and Wildland trucks, fixed wing and helicopter based systems, navel and coast guard systems, and in fixed locations in industrial and civil fire prone areas. -Collin Fischer, Austin Goodrich