Mutual Aid
Technology problems are easier to solve together
Somewhere another department has already integrated that CAD, already run that pilot, and already found out what the demonstration did not show. Mutual Aid is where that gets said out loud.
The kind of question this is for
Has anyone integrated Hexagon CAD with AVL?
Incident commandWe are being quoted a six-figure professional services engagement for what sounds like it should be a supported interface. Looking for anyone who has done this and what it actually took.
What RFID system are departments using for apparatus inventory?
Connected firegroundLosing equipment between stations and apparatus. Looking at RFID versus barcode. Interested in what has survived contact with actual crews rather than what demonstrated well.
Drone platform for hazmat monitoring — what are people flying?
Hazmat responseNeed something that can carry a four-gas meter and survive decon. Our current airframe is not rated for it.
Has anyone integrated ESO with First Due?
Data and AIRunning ESO for EMS records and looking at First Due for fire. Both vendors say it is supported. Looking for someone who has actually run it in production.
How is your NERIS migration actually going?
Data and AIVendor says we are ready. Our data says otherwise. Curious whether anyone has completed a clean migration and what they had to fix first.
Staffing and callback apps for a combination department
Data and AINeed something volunteers will actually open. We have tried two systems and adoption died within a month both times.
Illustrative examples. Reply counts show the shape of the thing, not real activity — the forum is not open yet.
How it will work
01
Ask in operational terms
Post the problem the way you would ask another chief. No vendor pitches, no reply guy in sales.
02
Answers from departments who did it
Verified fire service accounts. The value is someone saying what it actually took, including what went wrong.
03
Connected to everything else
Threads attach to the technology area they are about, so a discussion sits alongside the approaches and the learning for that problem.
Do not wait for the forum
If you have a question now, send it. It gets answered directly and becomes one of the first threads when this opens.