geekosystem

When firefighters rush into a burning building, they're equipped to deal with extreme temperatures. They're not as equipped to locate the people they're there to save through the smoke and fire. Researchers of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) in Italy are working on a new way to see through the chaos of a fire using holographic imaging. It's officially the future.

China's Luoyang City fire department spent $456,000 on what is essentially a water bazooka, presumably in order to destroy buildings that are on fire, no doubt a roundabout way to extinguish a fire. After all, no more building technically means no more building on fire. The crazy thing was built using a fighter jet engine, and can shoot four tons of water per minute over 400 feet, while being able to rotate almost 360 degrees. Kind of makes your Super Soaker look a little weak.

(via Geeks Are Sexy)

America, meet the Cranicks. They are the family who now live in a trailer near the charred remains of their home in rural Obion County, Tennessee, all because the local fire department refused to extinguish a fire that destroyed their home. Why? Because they had not paid a $75 fee (on top of taxes) for fire fighting services from the nearby town. The Cranick’s grandson was burning trash near the family home when the fire grew out of control. The Cranicks reportedly called 911 several times, but the fire department refused to respond because the Cranicks had not paid the nearby town of South Fulton ‘firefighting’ fee of $75. The Fire Department did respond to a neighbor’s call because they had paid the fee. >>>More details and news video at Mediaite.