Technological Advances

Advances in technology have played a vital role in the Fire-Rescue Department over the past few years. These advances have allowed Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue to move forward with information storage and access in ways that were not available to us just a few short years ago. The upgrade of our distribution network and the implementation and use of Intergraph CAD, Sunpro RMS and Telestaff have provided us with ways to track, gather and provide information like never before. The planned future use of a traffic pre-emption system will also provide the infrastructure to help reduce response times to emergencies, thereby enhancing the overall service we currently provide to the City of Fort Lauderdale residents and visitors.

Intergraph CAD

The Intergraph CAD system was purchased and implemented as part of the Y2K technology changes. It is a Windows-based system with a graphic user interface (GUI). This was a major change from the way CAD operated in the past. The department's previous CAD system operated with command lines and function keys and required a lot of actual typing to use properly. The new system retained the ability to use command lines and function keys, however, it is also mouse driven with most functions available as "point-and-click" options. This makes initial training and use much easier. The CAD also has a map-based structure that operates with an AVL (automatic vehicle location) system. The AVL system allows us to dispatch the closest unit a greater percentage of the time and track the routes units take while responding to emergencies. The CAD also provides us with software called I-Netviewer. This software allows chief officers to access CAD information on incidents and units from their own computer desktop.

Sunpro RMS

The Sunpro RMS system is a full-service records management system. It has download capability from the CAD system and automatically populates the incident reporting module with available CAD data. The Sunpro RMS system is currently used to gather and store all of our incident reporting information (fire and medical reports), all of our daily log and productivity information and all of our training records. Hydrant information, apparatus and equipment information, and fire inspection information also have modules available for future use in the system. The Sunpro system also allows us to access most of our incident and training records with a click of the mouse.

Telestaff

The Telestaff system is a computerized staffing program that puts all staffing, leave and payroll information into one accessible format. Telestaff gives everyone a daily picture of overall department staffing and provides a detailed tracking system for leave use and work code information. This system has reduced errors in payroll and employee leave records and is accessible by all employees of Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue. Each employee now has the ability to view his or her leave and payroll records for accuracy on a daily basis. The future use of the system will also provide off-site phone and computer access for all employees.

Traffic Signal Pre-Emption

In October 2003, the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department implemented a traffic pre-emption system that allows fire-rescue units to change traffic light patterns on the routes that emergency units use to respond to emergency calls. The new system ensures that Fire-Rescue units have green lights when traveling to emergency situations and keeps traffic moving in the same direction of travel, thus reducing the time it takes for units to arrive on the scene.

Another advantage of using traffic pre-emption systems is the safety provided to firefighters and the public by reducing the amount of intersections emergency units must cross while encountering red lights and stopping the normal flow of traffic.

As of January 2004, Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue units can access approximately 100 traffic signals when responding to emergency calls. Additional traffic signals will be added to the system in 2004, with priority given to main traffic corridors that connect to hospitals with emergency rooms.

The traffic pre-emption system was implemented through a cooperative approach with Broward County Traffic Engineering. The mass transit bus system also uses the traffic signal pre-emption devices to help improve the timeliness of regular bus routes.

CAD Analyst

CAD Analyst is mapping-based software that runs on the Windows operating system. Its features are listed below:

• A workload and response performance calculator that lets a user specify the specific days-of-the-week, times-of-the-day, seasons of the year and incident type groups of interest. CAD Analyst then extracts the incidents during that time period and of that type and displays their density thematically in a map.
• Average performance buttons that let a user look at specific response type performances such as average first unit, first EMT, first paramedic, second engine on scene. The performances are thematically displayed in a manner that green means acceptable performance and red indicates unsatisfactory performance.
• Percentage performance button that displays % of incident meeting performance targets thematically.
• Zoom button that lets a user zoom into a particular area of the response area and view all the incidents in that zone. Each incident is colored coded as stars. The user can click on a star to get all details on that incident including incident number, date of incident, location, etc.
• User can print the above maps by pressing the print button. Using CAD Analyst, the fire chief can, within minutes, look at last year's workloads and response performances on, say, MVA during morning rush in the weekday.

Fire/EMS Apparatus Deployment Analyst Module (ADAM)

The Fire/EMS Apparatus Deployment Analyst Module (ADAM) has the following features:

• Runs on Windows operating system.
• Enables the user to specify alternate fire apparatus location scenarios by merely "dragging" apparatuses with a mouse from one location to another.
• For the above scenarios, automatically recalculates and graphically displays response performance.
• Calibrates software so that response performance projections for the current location scenario closely matches actual recorded performance.
• Automatically color-codes the service area according to hazard type and whether response time goals are being met.
• Estimates response travel distance based on the street system and not "as the crow flies."
• Estimates call-to-scene times under new location scenarios based on past history only, not assumptions on related items such as travel speeds.
• Estimates apparatus run-loads and apparatus availability under new location scenarios based on historical distribution of incidents.
• Calculates both average and percentile response performance to various zones within the service area. Example of percentile performance is, "Percentage of incidents with response times less than eight minutes."
• Displays response performances for both fire and medical incidents.
• Enables user to delete, save and retrieve different analysis scenarios.