Electronic accountability systems

[fireboyny 61]

I have heard increasing talk lately about electronic accountability systems ranging from proximity systems to radio "keying" and I was wondering of the very few departments which have this technology, what you guys think of it, and in general, can a system like this be trusted over "Old Fashioned" accountability systems such as tagging?

Edited February 9, 2012 by fireboyny

[Bnechis 3,961]

I have heard increasing talk lately about electronic accountability systems ranging from proximity systems to radio "keying" and I was wondering of the very few departments which have this technology, what you guys think of it, and in general, can a system like this be trusted over "Old Fashioned" accountability systems such as tagging?

We are in the final stag of development and expect to be field testing within a few weeks. I will update as we go. I know from talks with FDNY that so far it appears to be working nicely. Is any new technology trustworthy....not until tested and accepted. SCBA, TIC'c, radio's, motorized apparatus, etc. at one point they were all new technologies.

How trusted are tags? Many use them, but do they "account" for anything other than you showed up at the rig at some point in the past. Are you still here? are you dead? did you leave and forget it? was it left on the rig from the last time?

[16fire5 693]

Accountability systems for a volunteer fire system that relies on home response are inherently toughter than ones for career departments with in house staffing. For most systems used by career departments tags, nametags, electronic riding lists are completed before the call comes in. The battalion chief knows his staffing before the fire. If he has an issue with Truck 3 he knows truck 3's staffing. Also career departments just by the way they operate are better set up for crew integrity. With a volunteer system and especially one with members responding in POVs it becomes very difficult to track. Also if your only using tags how do you track where the person is and who they are operating with? I have watched the passport system in use and think it has a few advantages. First the crew is together on the passport. Second you can easily look at the passport and read the names. With a tag system you probably need to handle each tag to account for people. If you just went defensive the tags system can not quickly ensure you have everybody. As stated the EFAS system is far superior to the old radio roll call. My adivce is to use you system on every call and be firm. If you have a crew that went inside on a gas leak and they didn't leave their tags make them come outside imediatly and get their tags. Do that a couple of times and you will gain compliance. Next practice doing a roll call at drills and even the conclusion on minor incidents. If the first time you do a roll call is a MAYDAY or collapse it will not work. Look into the NFA calling the Mayday class add some of the things I just talked about and you have an excellent drill.