Boston firefighters testing app aimed at helping first responders

BOSTON — While technology has made navigating through our everyday lives a whole lot easier, new developments being tested out could mean the difference between life or death.

Boston firefighters have been testing out new technology that can improve the way they respond to high rise fires - by knowing everything they need to know about a building before they get to the scene.

Battalion chiefs will be able to instantly pull up every information they may need about a building, such as floor plans, from a mobile app.

"When they roll up they have access to a mobile app on that tablet that allows them to gather information on the building before they start making the most vital decisions in the 1s, 2nd 3rd minutes," said high rise safety consultant Curtis Massey.

Boston Fire has always used paper building plans, but with this new technology all the information will be at their fingertips.

"This is a new piece of technology for us and we just want to know how to use it.  It's another tool for us to assist in an incident in case something would happen," Boston Fire Department Chief of Operations Jerry Fontana said.

Firefighters tested out the new technology by simulating a 2-alarm fire at a 39-story building in downtown as a training exercise.

The mobile app doesn't just help firefighters, but any first responders for any high-rise incident, such as the recent Las Vegas massacre.

Cox Media Group