As climate change intensifies, the number of wildfires continues to rise and therefore the nation’s preparedness is more important than ever. In 2024 alone, the United States experienced a staggering 51,758 wildfires that burned over 8 million acres¹, placing immense pressure on wildland firefighting agencies. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to adopt emerging technologies that can enhance wildland firefighting capabilities to mitigate disasters, respond effectively, and ultimately safeguard lives.
Effective wildland firefighting demands continuous communication to make critical decisions quickly on the ground, in the air, or in the operations center. Unreliable or limited communication disrupts operations jeopardizing the safety of firefighters and the communities they protect.
Imagine this: you’re a wildland firefighter battling a blaze, surrounded by smoke and flames. You need to urgently request reinforcements or air support, but radio communications are unreliable, or even worse, you’re disoriented and there’s nothing you can reference in your surroundings. How do you request support? This is the reality for many wildland firefighters. In the high-stress environment of a wildfire, every second counts. Lack of situational awareness, undelivered messages or garbled transmissions can lead to critical delays and put firefighters at unnecessary risk. Communication and reliable tracking is not just a luxury – it’s a lifeline.
The importance of network redundancy – PACE Plans
Even in a perfect world where every firefighter is equipped with a radio, maintaining reliable communication remains a significant challenge in the rugged terrain typical of wildland fire operations (let alone interoperability across agencies). Teams operating in mountainous terrain will immediately experience obstructed or degraded line-of-sight communications, quickly rendering their radio ineffective.
Perhaps an agency can deploy a portable cell tower, but the capability is costly, limited in mobility, and, often, the network struggles to reach the edges of the operational area. Similarly, high-bandwidth satellite networks from the likes of Starlink require a constant power source, which make it ideal for command posts, but not for on-the-go handcrews.
These capabilities in isolation result in communication gaps, hindering critical information flow and impacting response times. There is, therefore, a need for a modern communications architecture that allows capabilities to work in tandem to deliver unprecedented network redundancy.
Technology that provides resilient and adaptable communication in remote, disaster-stricken environments plays a pivotal role within the PACE plan. A PACE plan requires the establishment of a primary, alternate, contingency and emergency communication method, empowering agencies to establish redundancy. If one communication channel fails, another is available, increasing the overall reliability of communication systems.
Tools that function independently of traditional networks, alongside other communication methods, help agencies maintain vital situational awareness when it matters most, ensuring the success of wildfire response operations.
Creating a connected fire line
Firefighting agencies need a connective tissue that can bridge disparate networks and deliver a seamless flow of data across high bandwidth satellite/MANET, mid-band mesh and narrowband BLOS networks.
Somewear’s software-defined network integrates previously disparate networks, ensuring continuous communications and tracking across personnel, aerial assets, and unmanned systems.
Systems that can automatically determine the most effective network not only ensure operational continuity, but they reduce the cognitive load on the firefighter and allow them to focus on what matters most.
This level of situational awareness across all deployed assets and the mobile command post means risk-informed decision making with real-time insights, maximizing operator safety, decreasing response times, and ensuring the efficient deployment of resources.
Interagency tracking and situational awareness
To add more fuel to the fire, the lack of interoperability across Federal, State, and Local agencies exacerbates communication challenges and hinders the ability to collaborate effectively. While agencies will continue to own different communications and tracking equipment, there’s a growing need for software capabilities that can reliably bridge the gap to achieve shared situational awareness.
At the heart of the Somewear ecosystem is Grid, a software-defined network that serves as the connective tissue for all your assets. Grid’s integration framework allows Somewear to introduce its proprietary data routing protocols to third-party applications and route that data to an agency’s preferred common operating picture. Most notable is our integration with ATAK (Android Tactical Awareness Kit). ATAK is a government owned and operated mapping software that allows you to see where you are, and place other tactical elements on top of that map.
It becomes much more powerful if you’re able to network with other people that have the same application and mapping software. Now you can see where the rest of your team is or see information that they’re plotting on the map. Historically that’s been done over either broadband LTE or a tactical radio system, and there is a massive gap between the two.
That is where Somewear fits in – bridging the gap between traditional terrestrial networking and a more exquisite tactical networking system.
Preparing for a new era in wildfire response
Developing a communications architecture that maximizes interoperability and empowers interagency teams to establish a common network in minutes is essential. As mission teams focus on adapting new technologies to address mounting pressures on their communications infrastructure, we must continue to make strides in transforming the way teams stay connected.
Operator-worn or vehicle-mounted networking solutions
Node
MESH & SATELLITEAn encrypted multi-network solution, combining the efficiency of mesh radios and resilience of satellite communication with SmartBackhaul™ technology.
Global Hotspot
SATELLITEAn encrypted, resilient satellite solution that integrates into any kit. Ideal for asset tracking and for isolated personnel who require SATCOM to stay connected.
Grid
Web, iOS, Android, ATAKEstablish situational awareness that encompasses all assets and empower your team, from operator to command, to maintain complete control of missions.