5 Reasons Vehicle Specs should include a weather station

“Being aware of the weather conditions before, during, and after an incident is imperative,” quotes columnist Chuck Sallade in Firefighter Nation. Of course, we couldn’t agree more!

Weather information is useful for:

1. Risk Management – Identify and assess hazardous weather conditions for PPE and resource management from safe approach through potential evacuation
2. Helping predict fire behavior
3. Safe operation of equipment – firefighting and rescue
4. Incident reporting and recording the weather for Fire Cause Determination
5. Plume modeling for smoke and HazMat

Vehicle-mounted weather stations are quick to set up and within minutes can be automatically recording data for incident decision-making and reporting, as well as, transmitting data to programs such as CAMEO/ALOHA for plume modeling.

“We are now able to receive ‘Live’ accurate weather data to use with the ALOHA Air Plume modeling program,” says Lieutenant Pearson of Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue. “Having ‘Live’ weather data is vital to our operation.”

The bottom line is that the conditions at the incident may not be exactly as forecast or reported elsewhere. There’s no substitute for immediate, accurate, on-site weather data.

The new Magellan MX Weather Station from Columbia Weather Systems is the latest in weather monitoring technology for public safety. At Columbia Weather Systems, our job is to make weather monitoring easy so First Responders can do their job best.

Click for additional resources below:

Arizona HazMat Exercise

Tualatin Valley F&R HazMat Exercise

View all CWS Vehicle-Mount Weather Stations

Magellan MX Vehicle-Mount Weather Station

Open Magellan MX Press Release PDF

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