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Equipment Asset List

Asset Tagging - Critical to Project Success!

While back end reporting applications and graphical user interfaces are excellent tools for displaying, formatting, and viewing information, the RFID tags that are mounted directly to the assets are the most crucial component in an RFID system.

Attaching an RFID tag to an asset may seem trivial to some, however there are a number of important issues that need to be examined before any system deployment can commence:

  • Ensuring that a tag stays fixed to the asset as it progresses through its usage cycle is vital. Tags that become separated from its asset can lead to loss of information and incorrect reporting.
  • Metal found in most common assets can interfere with the communication between RFID reader and tags. Overcoming this interference often requires custom, on-the-spot modifications.
  • Interfering with the operation of the asset is another potential area of concern. Great care must be taken in order to ensure the tag does not impede the mechanical characteristics of the asset, or interfere with the interaction of personnel as they use it.
  • Location of the tag is another often overlooked aspect as a poorly placed tag can lead to difficulty in reading and/or finding the tag quickly. Standard mounting locations are required for each asset type to ensure that the operation of the asset is not affected and that the tag can be easily located.

Cathexis has years of RFID tag mounting experience across numerous projects and applications, and have conquered each of the above issues before. Each asset has unique challenges when it comes time to mount the tag and nothing is a substitute for experience.

The following is a brief cross section of firefighting equipment that has been successfully tagged during an FFEMS deployment.

Equipment Asset List

Pumps
There are several types of pumps used by fire fighting organizations, and tags are usually mounted to each pump type using industrial strength adhesive and/or rivets (Arrows in the picture below indicate probable mounting locations);

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Figure 1: General Duty Pump

Fuel Supply Containers
Cathexis uses the most suitable tag type for each ensuring optimal operating performance. Below is a tagged fuel container is shown. In this instance, a simple industrial strength peel and stick label was applied;

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Figure 2: Tagged Fuel Containers

Tool Kits
Pictured below is the standard tag mounting location that Cathexis used for mount on metal disk tags ensuring that they would be protected, while being clearly visible to personnel;

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Figure 3: Tool Kit

Handtools / Accessories
Picture below are tagged fire buckets, a shovel and a Pulaski. Different organizations may have variations of these pieces, however Cathexis' tag mounting experience will allow for successful tagging;

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Figure 4: Tagged Fire Pails

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Figure 5: Shovel & Pulaski

Hoses & Couplings
Hoses are often the asset with the highest total number of pieces. As well, they can be one of the most difficult assets to tag and require specialized mounting solutions. Below is a stack of tagged hoses (Disk tag with red, fireproof epoxy);

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Figure 6: Hose Coupling Tag Positions

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Figure 7: Tagged Hoses

Miscellaneous
There are many other pieces of equipment that do not fall under the specific types described previously. Below are some pictures of various assets that have been successfully tagged by Cathexis during their Forest Firefighting Equipment Management System deployments:

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Figure 8: Back Hose Bag

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Figure 9: Helicopter Sling