Colleton County Fire-Rescue
10/31/2013
|
To:
All Personnel
From:
Richard Sheffield
Date:
31 October 2013
Subject:
Dispatch Text Messaging
As some of you may be aware, we now have the
capabilities to send via text (or phone app) emergency call information in
the same time interval that tones are being broadcast.
In the short amount of time that the software –
CodeMessaging(.net) – has been in use, it has already proven to be
beneficial.
Since I have had several people ask mostly the
same questions concerning CodeMessaging, I will attempt to cover the basics
on CodeMessaging and the associated phone app – CADPage.
CodeMessaging is the software company that has designed
a program to automatically pull specific data from the CAD computer in
dispatch.
The software constantly searches for certain criteria
and awaits a trigger to send the information to the different groups that we
have set.
When a 911 call is received in dispatch, the CAD
determines which primary station and primary medic unit is in the call’s
location.
Along with this information, the next 3 closest
stations are also given.
Depending on the type of call, a dispatcher will
enter the information and “Dispatch” in CAD the specific station(s), medic
unit, rescue, and/or Battalion.
This is the criteria and trigger that
CodeMessaging is looking for.
Specifically, the criteria is one or more of the following:
Station 01, Station 02…..Station 36, RESCUE, Rescue 01,
Rescue 18, Battalion 1, and Medic 01, Medic 06…Medic 26.
And the trigger is when one or more of the stations is/are “dispatched” in
the CAD.
Once CodeMessaging is activated by the trigger, the software will send the
call information to all phones assigned to that/those particular station(s)
on that call.
To register for CodeMessaging, go to
https://forms.gle/no8LhJ8457iMVubJ8
or on the home page of
www.colletonfire.com, there is a quick link on the left
hand side of the page.
Why do I receive 2-3 text messages per emergency call?
A non-Smartphone typically has a character limit
of 140 characters and a Smartphone usually does not. However, with
CodeMessaging both non-Smartphones and Smartphones are limiting around 140
characters.
If the message is longer than 140 characters it
will split into 2-4 separate text message depending on the about of
information that has been entered into the dispatch narrative.
Users that do not have unlimited text
messaging on your phone should know that standard text message rates will
apply.
Why do I receive multiple texts with the same information?
When you register through the website (
https://forms.gle/no8LhJ8457iMVubJ8 ),
you enter the stations that you want to be notified on.
If, on any one call, multiple stations are
dispatched and you have registered for one or more of the same stations on
the call, you will receive the text message for each of your registered
stations that is dispatched.
For example – FF Smith registered to receive
notifications for Stations 1, 19, 24, 26 and Battalion 1.
If a structure fire is dispatched in the area of
Little Caesars’ (which is in the county), Stations 19, 1, 24, 26, Medic 1
and Battalion 1 will be dispatched.
When that occurs, FF Smith will receive 5
separate text messages with the same information because all 5 of the
stations he registered for have been dispatched at the same time.
There is a phone application that will receive these
messages and deliver them to your phone. This app will look for duplicate
texts and deliver only one message.
See the memo “CADPage” for further instructions
on the phone app (BELOW).
I have been receiving call updates through text messages?
This is not necessarily true.
Occasionally, you will receive a text message
after the initial dispatch with additional information.
This will occur because another station that you
registered for has been dispatched on the call after the call is in
progress.
Dispatch enters pertinent call information into the
narrative portion of the CAD throughout the call.
If another station is “dispatched” after the
call is in progress, those phones assigned to that station will receive all
of the narrative information.
Remember that the trigger for CodeMessaging is
when a station is “dispatched” not when a unit goes enroute, or on scene,
etc.
|
|
To:
All Personnel
From:
Richard Sheffield
Date:
31 October 2013
Subject: CADPage Phone Application **** You must be registered with CodeMessaging before you install the CADPage app! ****
CADPage is the app recommended by CodeMessaging and
there are several of us using it already with great results.
Information can be found here:
http://www.codemessaging.net/codemessagingcadpageinfo.php Highlights of this app include:
Also, the app information page states that CADPage is free for the first 30 days, then there is a $10 fee;
However for CodeMessaging accounts, it
remains free.
CADPage can be a little tricky to properly set up; I
will try to explain the process.
Android Instructions
iOS Instructions
*** In order to install and use the CADPage app for iOS phones,
you
will need a username and password from CodeMessaging.
Email me at
firemarshal@colletoncounty.org
to obtain a username and password.
- |