‘Grenfell scanner’ gives fire services 3D view for rescues

A THREE-DIMENSIONAL “Grenfell scanner” that can spot people trapped in burning buildings could be given to firefighters and police under proposals being considered by the Government.

Emergency services are currently restricted as they can only locate potential victims in disasters like the Grenfell tower blaze in two dimensions as if on a map, but cannot pinpoint which floor they are on.

An American company which provides the 3D technology to cover 4,400 cities and towns across the United States is in talks to introduce the technology in Britain.

Rather than using satellite GPS, which can only provide a two-dimensional view of any city or town, it deploys ground-based sensors to build a 3D “picture” of buildings.

It can pinpoint a signal from a mobile phone calling 999 or with a preloaded app to within three metres on any floors of any building above three storeys with 94 per cent accuracy. The app on firefighters’ communication devices allows their commander to track their movements in real time.

Trials in San Francisco by its fire department found that teams using the technology reached “victims” at two high-rise buildings within three and a half minutes – up to five times more quickly than firefighters who did not have the kit.

About 100 sensors would be needed to provide coverage of a city such as London which would then enable emergency services in a fire like Grenfell or a terrorist attack in an office block to “see” which floors victims were on and respond accordingly.

Ganesh Pattabiraman, an engineer who co-founded the Nasdaq-listed company, Nextnav, said: “It can help in a very tangible fashion. The biggest benefit when you dial 911 [the US emergency service number] is to reduce response times.

“It is about locating people within what is known as the “golden hour” [the critical time within which emergency services can have the maximum benefit].”

Nextnav has worked in partnership with AT&T to provide the 911 emergency call system.

The company is also trialling the technology with partners in Tokyo and Osaka and will this week begin talks with the European Commission, which is also understood to be interested in 3D tracking.