Department Issued iPads For Emergency Services Personel

[x635 4,066]

With an increasing amount of time spent online, should emergency services personel be issued personal iPads?

I was reading an interview with the Las Vegas Fire Department Chief in Firehouse Magazine (July 2012, Page 68), and read about how they really embrace technology.

In the article, it is mentioned about how the trend of how technology is becoming almost essential in everything we do, and how more and more firefighters are beoming technologically savvy. The Las Vegas concept is to issue each FF with a business only, locked down iPad. This iPad could be used for checking department email, handling their timecard, virtually attend almost all of their didatic training, write patient care and other departmental reports.

Personally, I think it's a great idea. iPads are the new clipboards and notebooks (the paper kind). Just as most departments now issue their members their own portables (worth several hundred dollars each), issuing an iPad could be justified just as much as the radio. The efficiency gained, especially with being able to read and respond to department corrospondence, deal with scheduling and payroll issues including time off requests, navigate through and fill out various department forums, read and reference department handbooks and reference materials, and complete online training are some of the many benefits this technology can bring.

Issuing individual devices to each member would allow members to take care of business on and off duty, and allow the member to customize the tablet to them, and not have to wait on communal devices that makes technology more "distant".

[PEMO3 523]

I agree, tablet devices are the wave of the future. The only restriction is the creation of "apps" that will so what existing software does now. There needs to be a call and push for developers to start creating these software programs as apps in both IOS and the more affordable android platform.which has its advantages along with Apples IOS.

[thebreeze 194]

Personally, I think this just seems like a frivolous waste of money, It's just another form of duplication and excess, which if I'm correct is what most departments are trying to get away from. How do you justify such an expenditure when multiple systems are already in place for each aspect that it will be used for? Checking department e-mail? I'm sure each station has a computer, not to mention almost everyone has a smartphone or home computer (the few old school people I know who don't have either wouldn't care to check their department e-mail anyhow). Time card? I am fairly sure most employers prefer to have a supervisor handle timekeeping as opposed to the employees themselves, or in the case where no supervisor is present at a station they prefer a timekeeping system that can only be accessed at the workplace, not anywhere you take the iPad. As far as training goes, there is really no accountability for on-line training, there's no way to verify that the person doing it is actually the person it's intended for nor that they aren't just killing time in front of the computer while they have an answer sheet from someone else ready to copy from and fill out sections at appropriate times, I've seen it happen many a time. As far as dissemination of training information, what's going to make the employee read a training bulletin on an iPad if they are already the type who don't care to read it on paper? As far as patient care and written reports, I don't think each person needs one, maybe one per ambulance for PCR's, and one per station for community use in filing of reports, although it seems like the desktops or laptops that most fire stations already have could support this function, not to mention the fact that the majority of the time it is only one supervisor or member filling out the report, not each individual.

Many departments already have in place electronic systems to perform all of these functions, most can be easily accessed from a computer available to the employees at work or by logging on remotely from a personal device. Handing everyone an iPad and saying, "now this is only for work use", that's almost a challenge to some people, and expecting everyone to be on board, that's pretty naive, I have a teenage neighbor that if I wanted could have the thing unlocked in twenty minutes so I could use it how I pleased. You would probably be better off giving members unlocked iPads honestly. If it's locked down and can only be used for a few limited work functions its not really able to be customized to the employee and many members will simply throw it in a drawer as another extraneous piece of junk the job has handed them. If they can use it how they please they will be more likely to use it for personal and work use. As far as taking care of department business while off-duty, off-duty is off-duty, one of the great thing about most emergency services jobs is that you don't take your work home with you. If you want to read, train, and enrich yourself out of work that is one thing that I personally promote, but work, stays at work.

I also don't see any real efficiency savings, as you aren't really saving any money by spending more money. What can be eliminated now that everyone has an iPad? Saving paper maybe, but I doubt those savings will really make up the cost of your investment especially after maintenance and upkeep costs.

As far as the comparison to the expense of each member having a portable radio, how many lives do you think personal iPads will save? Will it give a Mayday for you? Are you going to carry it into the building with you? Is it your lifeline to other members when you are trapped or lost? Personal portable radios have been proven and documented to save lives, and not to sound hackneyed, but that is PRICELESS. Unless you can place efficiency on an equal footing with the life safety of members, then the cost of personal iPads cannot be compared to the cost of personal radios, period.

In my opinion, in this day and age of cost cutting, tightening budgets, and increased scrutiny by taxpayers as to where their money goes, this is a waste of money and will be conceived by the taxpayers as such. Many taxpayers and politicians have already begun to perceive the emergency services as a whole to be an expensive, extravagant, luxury item that can be slashed and cut down to the bone, lets not give them more fodder for their arguments. Spend money on the things we REALLY NEED and that are easily defensible to the public and politicians alike.

[JetPhoto 626]

Not to mention the risk of easily damaging the units.

[antiquefirelt 994]

I guess I'll pile on the Naysayer wagon as well. My biggest issue, aside from needless cost, would be yet another device that takes away from human interaction in the firehouse. Part of learning is discussing all aspect of the particular subject, and the fire service tends to employ personnel from a wide variety of backgrounds, moving away from classroom/kitchen table/tailboard lessons for more IT based learning merely provides the basic lesson plan to the individuals vs. a setting where multiple ideas can be discussed, incorrect assumptions or answers may be corrected and personnel learn the topic as well as what their peers know and understand. While I don't think we should go backwards, it's hard to deny that we were a much closer knit team/family before the internet and cellphones. Or it could just be that I'm old.

Edited January 14, 2013 by antiquefirelt

[x129K 1,393]

Seth just wants iPads out there so we can get pics from fire uploaded to Bravo in real time..LOL

[x635 4,066]

Seth just wants iPads out there so we can get pics from fire uploaded to Bravo in real time..LOL

Exactly! LOL.

[savff 26]

Actually, we are getting ready to do a similar thing. Although not every one will get one we will assign them to the "company" for use. It will include a truck mount and otter box case. We can get a little over 2 for the cost of our current desktops. The biggest plus is access to pre-plans and ability to complete reports and retrieve email and/or messages while in the field. Individual ones does seem a bit excessive but they run a ton of calls spread out over a huge area so it may be beneficial in keeping units in service and in district.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I got an iPad for my emergency management job. Its nice to be able to keep plans and reference materials on one easy to read format, but I fail to see the practicality of issuing them to all emergency responders. I'm actually taking a FEMA class this week that's iPad based, and I can't stand it. I want a book.

[v85 212]

Why use an i-Pad and not something like a mini-toughbook that would actually stand up to emergency services use?

[SageVigiles 1,194]

You'd be surprised, an iPad with a Lifeproof case is pretty durable.