Multi-Mission Aircraft and FireGuard w/ Peter Vidmar

The Anchor Point Podcast

Today on the show:

We learn about some of the emerging technologies and situational awareness gathering tools being used to gather intel, detect new fire starts, and potentially save lives and property from Peter Vidmar...

Peter is a former helitack crew member, turned captain and aircraft manager for the Colorado DFPC, with 10 years of fire experience under his belt.

Here is a little more about Pete:

"I started in fire in 2011, working 2 seasons in fire mitigation before joining a suppression module with Rocky Mountain Fire District in 2013. In 2014, I joined DFPC as a firefighter out of Fort Collins, primarily staffing engines. I then took a year-round job with Texas A&M Forest Service as a Regional Fire Coordinator (FMO) in west Texas for 2015 and part of 2016, managing fire response and grant programs for 13 counties. In the Spring of 2016, I rejoined DFPC as a senior firefighter on Cañon Helitack. I was promoted to Captain and transferred to the Multi-Mission Aircraft program as a manager in 2017, where I first became intimately familiar with fire intelligence programs. Beginning in 2020, I was given the additional responsibility of being the program lead for the program that is now called FireGuard. I directed the State-led pilot program in 2020, and currently serve as senior liaison and member of the leadership team for the national effort."

One of those tools that we talk about today is: "Fireguard"

Fireguard is a data analysis program comprised of military resources, NIFC, and the "boots on the ground" to identify new fire starts and to monitor ongoing fires. Not only does it detect new starts, but the program will also automate and push out notifications based on your area of operations with the most up to date info with info such as rate of spread, direction, and critical values at risk (such as wildland urban interface)...

Its a pretty valuable program with a lot of situational awareness gathering tools at your disposal

To learn more about the program, check out these links:

How will notification be made of a new fire?

· Instead of a phone call to a GACC or Dispatch Center followed by an email with a PDF Spot Report including a map, users at all levels will be able to draw custom areas of interest (AOI) for receiving alerts. By navigating to this form (https://bit.ly/2PWU130), users can draw a polygon that defines AOI for automated initial notifications on fires, and for urgent updates when analysts see extreme fire behavior that is imminently threatening values at risk.

How can I access the data?

· The data will be available on an NIFC org Dashboard (https://iaa-nifc.hub.arcgis.com/) and EGP. The polygons associated with the new detections will be viewable on the Situation Analyst in the Intelligence and Resources (IR) view state.

How can I give feedback?

· Feedback should be sent to [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Also - be sure to check out the DFPC Multi-Mission Aircraft Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/dfpc_mma/

Stay safe, stay savage...

Enjoy!

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