Firefighters Test New Tech In Center City Fire Drill
by Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia firefighters practiced their skills in a Center City high-rise Saturday morning.
Bob Drennen, public information officer for Saturday's high-rise fire drill at the Melon Center at 1735 Market Street says the Philadelphia Fire Department is incorporating new technology into their firefighting tactics.
"The pre-plan gives critical information to the incident commander. So what we have done is download the pre-plan to an ipad and from that point, let's say for example you need to know the location of the stairwells, the standpipe connections where you would attach the hoses, the status of the elevators, they have to be recalled," said Drennen.
He says it's unusual firefighters actually get to practice their skills in a high rise.
"What, generally, the fire departments do around the country is they do pre-familiarization tours but the difference is, this is considered an active drill where they're going to simulate a fire on the 14th floor. It's pretty cool," said Drennan.