A wired sensor network was created to measure water-flow rate in a fire hose. An integrated electronic piezoelectric (IEPE) accelerometer was chosen as the sensor to measure the flow rate based on the vibrations generated by water flowing through a fire hose. These sensors are small, lightweight, and they can be attached to the outside of the hose, not obstructing the water's flow path. A relationship was determined between the flow rate of the water and vibration detected by the accelerometer for a range of flow rates. The raw acceleration signal was used to calculate two metrics: the dominant frequency and the standard deviation of acceleration. In a future study, the relationship between the dominant-frequency metric and the flow rate will be applied to a wireless accelerometer network. The relationship will be used to determine the real-time fire hose flow rate critical for improving situational awareness on the fireground.
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