Donated iPads mounted in Menlo Park Fire engines to improve operational efficiency

In September of 2011 Heffernan Insurance Brokers partnered with Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company to donate $10,390 to the Menlo Park Fire Protection District to purchase iPads from Apple for each of its seven front line fire engines as part of a pilot project.

The Fire District has now moved forward with installing those iPads into seven of its fire engines, as well as used other public funds to support additional units on its ladder truck and battalion command vehicle. The units are part of an effort to improve situational awareness for fire personnel as well as support mobile technology use during company inspections. In the near future medical incident reporting and dispatching information will also be available. The District is also exploring how to take advantage of specific mobile applications for important emergency information such auto extrication techniques for electric vehicles and hazardous materials incident identification information to name a few exciting options.

“The rapid growth of mobile technology and on-going need to evolve emergency services has inspired the Fire District to re-evaluate its operational efficiencies and the ways in which it conducts its day to day business in an industry where binders and books full of information have predominantly occupied the cabs of most fire apparatus for the last century,” said Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman.