The research aims to improve firefighter tracking

WORCESTER, Massachusetts (AP) - the city of New York firefighters and police rushed into the world trade center after the terrorist attacks of September 11, their commanders on the street had little knowledge where they were, the condition that they were in or the best way for them to escape.Hundreds of emergency workers died when the twin towers collapsed, and the left responsible for the security suite seeking ways to improve communications.The approach of the 10th anniversary of the attacks, researchers are working to perfect technology that tracks first responders so they can save others more secure.Tuesday, a group of Massachusetts fire crawled in a laboratory of three-storey brick building at worcester polytechnic institute to test one of the new devices.They carried axes made of plastic, but otherwise donned full gear including oxygen tanks strapped on their backs. They wore masks masked-out to interfere with their vision, but also transported from tracking devices of the size of the walkie talkies which allowed their Commander outside movements.The Chief saw his men by moving the red dots on a computer screen because he spoke through the construction. Within five minutes, they are a "lost" companion firefighter. "" The technology is much easier to use, ", said John sullivan Deputy Worcester Fire Chief."The WPI and his Department have worked together for more than a decade, stimulated by the death of six Worcester firefighters, who entered an abandoned building of 100 000 feet square during December 3, 1999, fire to search for homeless people they believed were indoors"."Basically now we are on our last known location of our training and firefighter", said Sullivan, who has contributed to the search for the men killed in 1999. "We are trying to cover all the bases more than anything else."No device is still on the market, but these last ten years several companies and researchers, including the Department of internal security ofscience and Technology Branch, developed programs and devices that are closer to meet the needs of first responders.Jalal Mapar, Director of program management, said he began field initial tests in the coming months, and private companies and the Ministry of defence have shown interest in the use of technology. Mapar, said that the Ministry hopes that the products available to first responders at the end of next year.Two companies have been testing products Tuesday at a workshop sponsored by homeland security that WPI allowed in six years. The workshops allowed researchers to collaborate and to challenge the other work while gaining a good idea of the firefighters who will use the technology and business. "Whenever detach us a layer, there is another layer of it, but every year, we are demonstrative closer to a solution, said David cyganski, an electrical and computer engineering professor at the WPI works on devices of tracking more than a decade.Sullivan said all the information is useful to firefighters and their supervisors, but is particularly important to know if people are on the same floor and their physical condition.Some companies have followed the pulse and heart rate of fire to help prevent heart attacks or other medical problems of emergency of the technology.Localization technologies vary according to the company, but often include radar and motion detection devices working together to follow first responders even when they are large commercial buildings are not usually accommodate standard GPS technology.Despite progress still possible glitches. "" "" You really have to shake it in many different situations, "said James duckworth, an electrical and computer engineering professor working on the version of the WPI of tracking technology. "The worst thing you can do is do something first responders and it gives them the wrong information."Another potential obstacle is the steep cost of sensors of high technology and programming to communities already struggling with budget cuts.Mapar said that Homeland Security is considering ways to address, including something such as a plan of cell phone that would allow a community to pay for a period of service while paying little for actual devices. "The return on investment will exceed investment, because you are looking to save lives,"said Mapar.