The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management will test a new satellite-based crew locating and communication device this fire season. … The department has been exploring for years ways to increase crew safety and enhance communication between firefighters and overhead. … DropBlocks will coordinate up-to-the-minute GPS location data and provide real-time data transmissions to agency or incident overhead. According to the agency, the system will be able to more precisely track crew movement and locations in wildland fire incidents.

New crew locating system to be tested this fire season in Arizona