Firefighter accountability apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An accountability system comprising:
- an identification card having a bar code representing a predetermined set of data;
a bar code reader adapted to read said bar code and to communicate said set of data from said bar code;
data entry means adapted to allow entry of additional data by a user and to communicate said data, wherein said additional data comprises breathing apparatus data;
a computer in communication with said bar code reader and said data entry means, said computer being programmed to process the data received from said bar code reader and said data entry means and to provide a plurality of predetermined outputs, wherein said processing of the data comprises calculating an elapsed time, and wherein at least one of said predetermined outputs is a warning provided when said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined maximum safe breathing time;
a display in communication with said computer and adapted to provide a visual output to a user; and
an alarm in communication with said computer and adapted to provide a warning corresponding to one of said plurality of predetermined outputs;
wherein said bar code reader reads said bar code from said identification card and communicates said set of data to said computer, said computer provides an output to said display which presents said data to said user, said user enters said additional data through said data entry means, said computer processes said additional data and provides an output to said display, and said computer calculates an elapsed time and provides an output to said alarm causing said alarm to provide a warning when said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined maximum safe breathing time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An accountability system for keeping track of firefighters at a fire scene. The system includes an identification card containing specific personal information represented by a bar code. A bar code reader is adapted to read the bar code and to communicate the data from the bar code to a computer. A data entry device is connected to the computer and is adapted to allow entry of additional data by a user. The computer is in communication with the bar code reader and data entry device and is programmed to process data received from the bar code reader and data entry device and provide a number of predetermined outputs, a display, and an alarm adapted to provide an alert to the Accountability Officer corresponding to a predetermined output. In the preferred embodiment, the computer is programmed to calculate the elapsed time after the bar code reader reads the identification card, and to trigger an alarm when the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined maximum safe breathing time. The method includes the steps of reading a bar code representing a predetermined set of data, storing the data in a memory of a computer, entering additional information pertaining to the firefighter, calculating the time following the reading step, and sounding an alarm when said time exceeds a predetermined time. In other embodiments, the additional steps of communicating data to other computers, and of entering equipment and scene information are also included.
45 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An accountability system comprising:
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an identification card having a bar code representing a predetermined set of data; a bar code reader adapted to read said bar code and to communicate said set of data from said bar code; data entry means adapted to allow entry of additional data by a user and to communicate said data, wherein said additional data comprises breathing apparatus data; a computer in communication with said bar code reader and said data entry means, said computer being programmed to process the data received from said bar code reader and said data entry means and to provide a plurality of predetermined outputs, wherein said processing of the data comprises calculating an elapsed time, and wherein at least one of said predetermined outputs is a warning provided when said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined maximum safe breathing time; a display in communication with said computer and adapted to provide a visual output to a user; and an alarm in communication with said computer and adapted to provide a warning corresponding to one of said plurality of predetermined outputs; wherein said bar code reader reads said bar code from said identification card and communicates said set of data to said computer, said computer provides an output to said display which presents said data to said user, said user enters said additional data through said data entry means, said computer processes said additional data and provides an output to said display, and said computer calculates an elapsed time and provides an output to said alarm causing said alarm to provide a warning when said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined maximum safe breathing time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of accounting for a plurality of firefighters at a fire scene comprising the steps of:
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reading a bar code representing a predetermined set of data; storing said data in a memory of a computer; entering additional information pertaining to one of said plurality of firefighters, said additional information comprising breathing apparatus information; calculating a time following said reading step; comparing said time with a predetermined maximum safe breathing time; and sounding an alarm when said time exceeds said predetermined maximum safe breathing time. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification