Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, video surveillance, and many more allies are no less important than their surprises in fighting fires.
On Friday 12 July, teams from the Finistère Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) tested the new technological tools available to them to fight forest fires.
Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence
To illustrate how it works in real time, a team of firefighters that day set off a fire in a field in Concarneau. Within seconds, a remote sensing system installed on one of the gates detected the smoke and alerted the SDIS Alerts Processing Centre (CTA). On a large screen, the firefighters visualised the start of the fire and, after checking with a second camera, the alarm was triggered. In less than 7 minutes, they saw on the same screen the entry of the Moran 29 water bomber, which dropped 600 liters of water. The fire is under control..
This exercise demonstrates the effectiveness of a device that allows decisive time savings in the intervention of firefighters in an emerging fire. In Finistère, this remote sensing system will be deployed in 9 sites this summer: Concarneau, Clohars-Carnouet, Plonneur-Lanvern, Plouhinnec, Caste, Ervillac, Brasparts and Skrignac.
Finistere is 3H A department in France to supply itself with this advanced deviceAfter Bouches-du-Rhône and Gironde. The system relies on cameras mounted on water towers or pylons which detect emerging fires and immediately alert emergency services.
Virtual Reality
Training firefighters is one of the main objectives of the forest fire prevention plan implemented in Finistère.
Since 2023, SDIS has been equipped with a virtual reality simulation system. Helmets, controllers and large screens allow firefighters to practice realistic exercises (fires, technological risks, victim rescue, etc.) and maps adapted to the area.
200 employees have already been trained to use this tool.
New materials
On the ground, Finistère SDIS can also count on 4 new tankers, a Morane 29 water-bomber helicopter which the ministry has again leased this year for the summer and one aerial reconnaissance aircraft.
Remember that in 2023, the Morane 29 helicopter was mobilized on 8 forest fires and natural areas, thus carrying out 125 drops.
Plan to combat forest fires in Finistère
These new investments are part of the forest fire control plan developed by the Finistère administration, the prefecture and SDIS29 following the large-scale fire that destroyed more than 2,200 hectares in the Monts d region that arrived in 2022.
This action plan is based on 3 objectives: providing the SDIS with appropriate intervention tools, strengthening training in forest fire fighting and organizing vigilance and risk response.
more information :
- Firefighting action plan – Finistere department (finistere.fr)
- Monts d'Arrée: a year after the fires, the site is returned to the inhabitants of Finistere – Finistere department (finistere.fr)
- Firefighting: Summer 2023 results for a department helicopter – Finistere department (finistere.fr)
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