Innovative Insights

Every second counts in firefighting. The SAM Waterflow System automates pump operations, speeds up hydrant connections, and reduces human error—helping crews get water on the fire faster. With SAM, firefighters focus more on saving lives and less on manual tasks. Discover how automation is transforming emergency response.

IDEX Fire & Safety partners with Catapult XR to modernize firefighter training and inspire future leaders in emergency response.

Firefighters will play a critical role in supporting city leaders as they work to advance technology and innovation.

This piece highlights the dangers of overpressurized hose lines during structure fires, showing how pressure surges can lead to firefighter injuries, delays, and miscommunication. Using real-world scenarios and NFPA data, it emphasizes the physical toll on crews and the challenges faced by pump operators. It also demonstrates how SAM helps reduce risk and improve safety by automating pressure control during critical moments.

Fire service leaders are urged to embrace technology—from AI to wearables—to enhance safety, efficiency, and service. True transformation starts with empowered people and strong leadership.

Part 3 is about solutions. It's about turning vision into action and ideas into impact. Fire service technology isn't just about buying a tool—it's about creating a support structure where people, process, and equipment work together. It's about providing your crews with systems that help—not hinder—when every second counts. 

This section provides a grounded examination of the friction points, such as budget, legacy mindset, and talent, that departments across the country have encountered when integrating emerging technology into fireground operations, training programs, and administrative systems. From limited funds and steep learning curves to cybersecurity risks and cultural pushback, these challenges are real—but they're not insurmountable. 

Welcome to Part 1 of our three-part series on leading fire departments through change and embracing technology adoption. In this opening installment, we set the stage by addressing a crucial truth: technology alone doesn't transform the fire service; tech leadership does.

Leading Fire Departments to Tech Adoption: A Four-Part Journey

In the fire service, the first five minutes of a call are often the most critical. It’s when the foundation is laid for everything that follows—water-on time, crew coordination, tactical decisions, and life-saving outcomes. SAM BOOST was engineered with one mission in mind: to radically improve those first five minutes by acting as a force multiplier for your crew, unleashing more life-saving power instantly. It also removes complexity from pump operations and gives crews faster access to reliable water. 

Modern firefighting is increasingly defined by connectivity. From the fireground to the command post, robust communication links are becoming as crucial as the water supply on the first due engine. The ability for firefighters, ladder trucks, drones, and command centers to share information can spell the difference between a coordinated attack and a mayday.