Innovative technology keeps Kiwi firefighters safe

Having attended around 73,000 incidents in the past year alone, the New Zealand Fire Service needs the best tech tools for the job.

Motorola Solutions and Spark have joined forces to put together a solution that's set to change the fire fighting communication game.

This new solution will enable the service's 10,000 career and volunteer firefighters to stay connected to their colleagues in the field via robust voice communication.

The organisation will receive over 4,500 new radios which are purpose built for use in the most severe fire ground environments.

It features a remote speaker microphone that can be fully integrated within firefighters' breathing apparatus, enabling a safe and easy form of communication.

Paul Baxter, chief executive - national commander of the New Zealand Fire Service, says communication is critical to safety on the incident ground.

"Much of that communication comes from the use of incident ground control (IGC) radio. That's why we were so exacting in our requirements for these new radios," he says.

"The radios will help us to resolve radio interface issues with firefighters' breathing apparatus while also delivering improved noise cancellation and battery life.

Spark will provide the in-country support, including service management and a customer support desk.

Tim Miles, Spark Digital CEO, says radios are life-saving tools for New Zealand's emergency services.

"Great team communication can be the difference between a managed incident and a disaster," says Miles.

"We are very proud to play a part in improving the on-ground experience for our Kiwi Fire Service heroes.