I want to know if your department has onboard computers with a map program in your fire engines. If you do, what kind of laptop and what program? I would like to research the different programs out there and try to get my company to start moving away from our company generated map book that is getting pretty thick. Any help would be appreciated.
Permalink Reply by John on March 17, 2009 at 10:08pm
From what I have heard in the rumor mill our deotarment is looking into getting them as well, but not sure if its just for the Battalion vehicles or all apparatus.
We use Motorola MW800 and/or Motorola Toughbook. We have CAD, mapping and IM capability. Mapping is great shows building outlines, addresses, hydrants, water lines, canals, the works. We are trying to load ERG and preplans so we pull up the preplan on the way to the call. Only problem we have found is because they use a cellular signal if your area has a lot of dead spots (like we do) the mapping and dispatch info sometimes doesn't transmit. Other than that they are great asset. Second hardest part was finding a mounting location that the officer could operate but not interfere with the engineer trying to drive.
Most of the departments that I know that are using computers are using Toughbooks, some with mapping programs have the pre-plan and IAP linked to the map program, don’t know what program. Now the rest of us are going to a Garmin.