Managing a fire department requires careful oversight and tracking of important data points. Keeping your firefighters and the public safe requires you to have effective methods in place to keep track of important metrics. Fire department software can help keep you aware of important information, run reports, and keep records. Plus, the use of compatible NFIRS software keeps you compliant and following approved standards. There are several advantages to using software in your fire department. Here is a broad overview of what to look for in software for managing your department management if you are not doing so.
What To Look For When Selecting Software in Your Fire Department
Many fire departments have started using software to help manage their information, manage resources, and compile records. When considering the implementation of software for your department, consider the following features.
- Compliance with NFIRS:one of the first things to check when looking for software for your fire department is verifying it is compliant with NFIRS. This is something you have to check as not every piece of management software is compliant with the current database standards. NFIRS also lists vendors who meet their standards, making research easier.
- Useful Features: when buying software you want it to make things easier not more complex. When considering a software platform, look for useful features such as report validation, comparability with all your devices, ease of use, and integration with plus-one codes. This ensures your software is a positive for your department and not hard to use or frustrating.
- Injury Reports: fighting fires is a challenging profession and injuries are a danger due to the nature of the work. Your software should track in detail how firefighters are injured and the nature of the dangerous events they encounter. Dangers such as hazardous chemical exposure, traumatic events, and disease exposure should all be properly tracked and recorded. This data is needed because it can help shape the care and research needed to keep firefighters healthy.
- Software Integration:your software should work with your other software and systems. Consider common daily activities and computing needs. Without prop compatibility, you may have to re-enter data in multiple locations or use unstable workarounds. Prop integration allows your tools to work together.
- Proper Reporting: the collection and recording of data is important, but the ability to process this data and draw conclusions from it is even more valuable. Your software should not only record data but also provide analytics and metrics to create reports. Being able to carefully review and organize your information allows you to track progress, budget more effectively, improve operating procedures, and better inform the public.
- The Vendor: when purchasing software you have to also consider any future support you will receive from the vendor. Properly supported software receives several updates, security fixes, and new features over its lifespan and can see years of use. When researching a vendorlook for continued support, forward-thinking, and improvements over the life of their software. You want to ensure that when you purchase a platform it is properly supported and changes are made as fire protection changes and improves.
Final Thoughts:
Proper information management is a key part of successfully managing a fire department. This data takes many forms, including keeping track of staff schedules, managing equipment, recording information about incidents, tracking injuries, budgeting, and more. Proper records allow you to better manage these resources and meet the performance standards you need to be successful. By carefully considering a software platform and vendor, you can properly match a platform to your specific needs and also avoid any potential issues such as a lack of integration or a confusing interface.
