New Mobile Computers Help CKFR Respond to Residential and Commercial Fires

By CKFR Battalion Chief Jay Lovato

"Mom, move over!! The fire trucks are coming with their lights and sirens on." says Jimmy, Susan's 8 year old son. Before she knows it, several Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue vehicles quickly pass by enroute to a building fire in a strip mall a short distance away. Jimmy says, "Mom, How do the firefighters know where they are going?" Good question Jimmy.

Besides driving through our assigned response areas frequently to become familiar with the roads and businesses, CKFR depends on map books and forms called pre-fire plans. Pre-fire plans are essentially maps of large apartment complexes and commercial businesses that help firefighters identify special features related to the building. These features include fire alarm and sprinkler system components, fire hydrants, exit stairwells, gas and electrical shutoffs, and much, much more. Until recently, CKFR vehicles kept this information in large 5" notebooks with approximately 500-700 preplans per book. This was a huge undertaking for the district as preplans changed often and upkeep was incredibly time consuming.

In the beginning of 2004, CKFR tried a new way of managing these preplans. Instead of carrying them in books, we entered them into a computer program called First Look Pro. This program was installed on a rugged computer called a Mobile Computer Terminal, or MCT. CKFR purchased three (3) MCT's at the end of 2003 and installed them in a command vehicle, medic unit, and fire engine and retrieved information from them during a trial period this year. While there were several bumps and hiccups along the way, the MCT system worked well and most firefighters haven't missed the big notebooks at all.

In addition to carrying the preplan program, the new MCT system will eventually be connected to the dispatch center, allowing us to update vehicle status silently via a separate radio frequency. By doing this, our dispatchers are available more consistently to dispatch new 911 calls and handle priority radio traffic without competing for radio air time. This helps us respond to your requests for help in a much timelier manner.

The CKFR Board of Commissioners has approved purchase of seven (7) additional MCT units by the end of 2004 and our order has been placed. These future units will be installed in Medic units, aid units, and fire engines at Stations 41, 45, 51, and 56 during the first quarter of 2005. Feel free to come by and see the current MCT's at Stations 41 or 51.

Have questions? Feel free to contact our MCT coordinator, Battalion Chief Jay Lovato, at 447-3629.

Side view of MCT inside Duty Chief 51 command vehicle.

As the Chief in charge of firefighters responding to large fire incidents, Duty Chief 51 uses this MCT to recall critical building information that assists in forming plans to extinguish these fires.

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