Provided GPS locations for
wildfire crews and allowing drones to scout wildfires in real-time, the bill
would increase firefighter safety.
WASHINGTON — A new bill in front of the U.S.
Senate could modernize wildfire management and increase firefighter safety.
Apart from strengthening the Fire Fighting
System, it can also assist in minimizing the future fire associated risks.
Tracking GPS locations would be indispensable for
the act. According to a press release from U.S. Senator Cory Gardner,
the Wildfire Management Technology Advancement Act would require the Forest
Service and the Department of the Interior to keep track of GPS locations for
wildfire crews and use drones to map and scout wildfires in real time.
“Our firefighters in Colorado and around the
country risk everything to protect our communities and it is our duty to make
sure they have every possible tool at their disposal to safely fight
wildfires,” Gardner said. “The Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology
Aerial Firefighting in Colorado develops cutting-edge technologies and this
legislation will complement those efforts. I will work with my colleagues on
both sides of the aisle to make sure this important, common-sense bill becomes
law.”
The bill would also require that the
firefighter injury trends be analyzed in order to prevent future incidents.
The agencies would also be directed to partner
with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and other labs to predict areas that are most
likely to experience wildfires during fire season.
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