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Firefighter developing Google Glass app aimed at saving lives

TORONTO – From helmets to self-contained breathing apparatus, firefighters have a lot of equipment to contend with on the job. But one firefighter wants to add one more piece of equipment to the list – Google Glass.

Patrick Jackson, firefighter and Google Glass explorer based in Rocky Mount, N.C.,  is developing software  for the Internet-connected glasses that would help firefighters be instantly connected to the information they need during an emergency – without having to use their hands.

READ MORE: Google Glass goes under the knife; device used to live stream surgery

In a YouTube video posted by Google’s Google Glass community page Monday, Jackson is seen wearing Google Glass during training exercises.

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For example, the firefighter could use the command “OK Glass, show the floor plan,” when entering a burning building to see the where alternative exits, windows, or doors are located.

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Screenshot/YouTube

Or, when trying to rescue a victim from a car crash the firefighter could use the command, “OK Glass, show extraction diagram,” and list the make, model and year of a vehicle to see the safest way to get the victim out of the vehicle.

The device could also be used to help quickly locate fire hydrants.

According to an article by Mashable, the device will likely be used by firefighters in a management role who are not active in rescue operations because in its current design Glass does not fit under a self-contained breathing apparatus – a crucial piece of equipment for firefighters.

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