Topic: Developing web-based rescue team management application

[robinb]

Hi all - I have enjoyed this forum as an onlooker for years without ever posting. Looks like a great Australian community here.

I'm working on web-based team management software for rescue teams to log incidents, exercises, casualties, injuries, members, etc. I'd love to get some contributions from your side of the world on what you record after an incident and how.

- location, arrival time, incident time, depart time, weather, casualty name, injuries, etc. etc.
- and do you do it by Paper based? standalone database? Fax to HQ? Email report? Posted forms? or are you using any networked software?

Would anyone like a free account?

[Collin]

Well one thing we do after a mission is take all the GPS track logs and complie them to a map, we also take the waypoints of important clues and PLS and other important things. I my self am from the US so i don't know any thing about Australia. but if you have any more questions email me.

collinwoods@gmail.com

P.S whats up with the account?

[robinb]

Direct email on the way Collin. Thanks!

So where do all these tracks get stored? What mapping do you use?

What things do you use them for when you download them?

[robinb]

Collin has been a fantastic help so far.

We're now ready for Beta testing teams and would love as much feedback as possible.

http://www.decisionsforheroes.com

The invite code 'bestdecision' will give access to the first 20 teams from techrescue.

-Robin.

[robinb]

Lots of sign-ups from here tonight. Great stuff.

Happy to respond to feedback on this forum or our own blog http://www.decisionsforheroes.com/blog/

[lutan1]

I've only had a quick look and fiddle- I see LAODS of potential for this system....

Will give more feedback over the next few days. 

[robinb]

Hey Lutan - great to hear!

Send on all that potential as we'll try to bake it in!

You'll probably be glad to hear we're working on Asset/Equipment tracking too!

-Robin.

[vr_driver]

Hi Robin,

Your system looks great. Well done.

Just a minor thought, is there anyway of using the google maps if the net goes down, such as in a power outage?

I can see you've worked very hard, and it shows. It looks very well thought out. Even with turn out times and everything! I think this sort of thing could be used at a local level with much success. Good stuff!

Steve

[robinb]

Hi Steve (vr_driver),

>> Just a minor thought, is there anyway of using the google maps if the net goes down, such as in a power outage?

Hi Steve, if the net goes down you will not be able to access any of the site. At present this is not a worry as the site is a team management tool rather than live incident coordination. The aim is to create offline and mobile versions of the key data used in incidents. The mobile stuff is currently undergoing development.

>> I can see you've worked very hard, and it shows. It looks very well thought out.

Many thanks Steve. Let me know if we can be of any help in getting you set up locally.

-Robin.

[vr_driver]

Hey Robin,

Yeah, I was probably thinking of the program to be run locally at a unit level, probably on a local server etc. (maybe with XAMP, MAMP etc)

I realise it's still in beta, but it looks really good. I developed a CAD system years ago. It was for incident and job management and larger storm events, to be able to track vehicles and assign jobs etc.

Although it was very much in alpha stage and didn't get into operation, it still worked. I wrote it in VB.

What you've done is much more of the way forward though I think, with PHP and MYSQL. Something which at the time, I didn't have much experience with.

Your current thing is a fair bit better than what I'd done.

My suggestion though for the app, is to be able to locate vehicles as well as plot various types of jobs.

[robinb]

vr_driver - don't know how I missed your reply, apologies.

Thank you for your kinds comments. I presume you have got set up with an account? Let me know if I can help in anyway.

Vehicle tracking work has begun (with potentially the very cool option of a in-car button to record an incident and get an SMS with a team report).

-Robin.

[robinb]

I worked out some stats (6 weeks in).... 293 'heroes' in 36 teams have logged 14,832 hours to save 66 people across 87 rescues. They have held 187 training exercises and 108 events. Between them, they have 452 qualifications and call on over 102 other resources such as the Fire Dept. or Police.

Multiple that by 500. That?s my goal.

[resQme]

First impressions are pretty positive. The interface is quite user friendly and with a few improvements (that have already been noted on the site) will be even better. The system we currently use (RFA online) is adequate, however it is not as intuitive to use, so much so that I prefer to keep using our paper-based system.

Ben

[robinb]

Hi Ben.

Thanks for the positive comments. I'd love to see the capability of RFA Online - I've read all the documentation after seeing your mention of it, but I'm unable to see screenshots.

Would it be possible to send me a few to robin@bytesurgery.com

It appears to be more live management of situations. What does Decisions For Heroes need to compete for your time with it?

Cheers,

-Robin.

First impressions are pretty positive. The interface is quite user friendly and with a few improvements (that have already been noted on the site) will be even better. The system we currently use (RFA online) is adequate, however it is not as intuitive to use, so much so that I prefer to keep using our paper-based system.

Ben

[robinb]

* THANK YOU TO TECHRESCUE.ORG POSTERS *

You provided a majority of the 1,800 testers for my project over the last year, and we have now officially launched based on the feedback.

I can be contacted via this forum if anybody has any input or questions! We love new feature ideas.

Visit our new site http://www.decisionsforheroes.com/

-Robin, Founder.