This demo video shows the Thermite robotic firefighter. Dallas will be able to use it to approach dangerous situations, helping keep firefighters safe. (Courtesy: Textron Systems Corporation and Howe & Howe Inc.)
Dallas, TX
Dallas Fire-Rescue to get robotic firefighting mini-tank
One of Dallas City Hall’s claims to fame is that it was a filming location for the 1980s cult classic RoboCop, about a crime-fighting cyborg.
In real life, Dallas is getting a firefighting robot, and firefighters are understandably psyched.
Using $470,000 in federal funding, City Hall will purchase a remote-controlled Thermite robotic firefighter from Howe & Howe Technologies. Dallas Fire-Rescue officials hope to have it up and running by March, said Lt. Stephen Spencer, a department expert on special operations logistics.
Watch: The Thermite robotic firefighter in action
The robot is a welcome addition to Dallas Fire-Rescue. It can protect our first responders during rare but high-risk emergencies.
For example, the robot might be deployed in situations such as train derailments involving pressurized cargo cars that are dangerous to approach, Spencer said. Dallas Fire-Rescue can use the robot to drive right up to the train and hose down the vessels while minimizing the risks to firefighters on the scene.
Normally, in hazardous situations, Dallas Fire-Rescue would have to send firefighters to carry in hoses by hand, Spencer said.
“That puts them in harm’s way and really makes us evaluate our risk versus reward factor,” he said.
With the Thermite robot, that risk calculation can be easier.
The fire-bot will come with the default water turret and cameras, but it will also be customized to suit Dallas’ needs, equipped with extra cameras including thermal imaging and a ventilator fan, Spencer said.
The fan, mounted on the top, can be used to push smoke or gases out of enclosed buildings by lightly pressurizing the space, Spencer said. Ventilator fans aren’t new to Dallas Fire-Rescue, but this one can be remotely driven right up to a door.
The robot also gives Dallas firefighters an edge when it comes to managing hazardous material. It can be equipped with sampling devices, Spencer said, allowing firefighters to scout danger from a distance.
Like the RoboCop, this fire-bot is insanely strong. Spencer said it can clear paths through debris and even push cars out of the way.
“This is basically a tank with a plow on the front,” he said.
Dallas’ newest firefighter is sure to be given an equipment number, although a proper name hasn’t been selected yet.
We hope it’s something other than Robot McBotface. But whatever its name, welcome to the team.
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