Skidmore Professors Collaborate to Advance Firefighter Safety

In late November, Professors Denise Smith and Pat Fehling (Health and Exercise Sciences) conducted field trials of a new technology, known as Wearable Advanced Sensor Platform (WASP), at the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute.  The WASP project is being lead by Globe Firesuits and is funded by the Department of Army National Protection Center.  The project aims to integrate physiological data acquired from a bioharness (developed by Zephyr) and location monitoring devise (developed by TRX) into a lightweight system that can track firefighter location and vital signs.  Smith and Fehling are conducting research into the accuracy of the physiological sensing system and the efficacy of field deployment of the unit.  The overall goal of the project is to provide a system that improves firefighter safety during emergency operations.

Pat Fehling (Chair, Health and Exercise Science), Gavin Horn (Director of Research, University of Illinois Fire Service), Mark Mordecai (Director of Business Development, Globe Firesuits), Denise Smith (Director First Responder Health and Safety Laboratory)