Kansas City Fire Department deploys robot to help battle fire at lumber yard

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Kansas City Fire Department deployed a robot to help fight a large fire at a business that houses lumber. The $350,000 piece of equipment on wheels is also capable of putting out thousands of gallons of water per minute. The Kansas City Fire Department’s robot was in action Tuesday morning, near E. 14th Terrace and Norton Avenue.

Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins said it’s helping crews battle flames and put out hotspots. He said it’s a tracked vehicle. The operator behind the remote controls the robot, similar to a drone. The remote has a screen so the operator can see what the robot sees wherever it travels. “They can turn on the thermals or be in normal daylight operations,” Hopkins said.

There are four cameras on the robot. Hopkins said it has thermal imaging capabilities, which can identify hotspots. This piece of equipment has the ability to flow up to 2,500 gallons of water per minute. “In reality, that number is more like about 1,200 based on hydrant pressures and hydrant locations,” Hopkins said. “But it takes a lot of workload off during these types of operations.”

Fire crews put the robot to use Tuesday morning. KCFD responded at about 6:15 a.m. to a large fire where an outbuilding went up in flames. It housed stacks of lumber.

Hopkins said the owner told KCFD they lost about $5 million dollars in material. The robot helped battle those flames, getting the fire under control in a couple hours. Crews have deployed this tool a handful of times this year. Hopkins said one of its greatest benefits is keeping firefighters safe, preventing injuries.

He said what would typically take two to three pumpers worth of firefighters to drag a line through the mud, is now a task the robot can take over.

Courtesy: www.dailydispatch.com