Center for First Responder Technology

WPI’s focus on solving real-world problems is the cornerstone of the university’s Center for First Responder Technology. Stirred by the events of the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire in December 1999, WPI has been developing and applying cutting-edge technological solutions to problems that threaten the safety and health of firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and other first responders across the country.

Firefighter

From technology that locates, tracks, and monitors first responders inside buildings to devices that alert firefighters to the presence of toxic gases, faculty in the Electrical and Computer Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering departments –– in collaboration with the Worcester Fire Department, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, and other government agencies –– have produced a string of innovations designed to make the work of first responders safer and more effective.

Hose Burn-Through Survey

Burn through fire hoseWPI invites firefighters to participate in a survey if you have experienced a burn-through of a fire attack hose. Answers will help WPI to create the first national database of burn-through occurrences. Take the Survey