May 2024

We are excited to announce the Spring 2024 release of Fire Station Desktop. This release streamlines how your department uses Fire Station Desktop.

The following modules have been updated as part of this release.

Personnel Module

Enhanced Personnel List Sorting

The personnel list now sorts using the number and name alphabetically. Previously, the personnel were sorted purely alphabetically. This did not take numbering into account.

Before the Spring 2024 release you might have a personnel list that looks like this:

After the Spring 2024 update the list sorting accomodates numbering.

Support for Cricket Wireless

Cricket Wireless has been added as a mobile carrier option when entering a mobile phone number.

When enabling notifications, the personnel's Cricket Wireless number can be selected to send notifications via SMS text messages.

For a full list of mobile carrier emails, see our Notification Text Messages article.

Improved Personnel Certification Sorting

The personnel certification list now includes the certification group and sorts by certification group.

Incident Reporting Module

9-Digit Incident Number Support

Quick calls now support entering incident numbers up to 9-digits long.

9-digit support is also available when using automatic incident numbering.

You must enable this options from the Admin menu before it is available.

NFIRS 5.0 only supports 7-digit incident numbers.
For this reason NFIRS calls do not support the new 9-digit incident numbers.

If you convert a quick call with a 9-digit incident number into a NFIRS call, the NFIRS incident number must be changed to 7-digits before the call can be validated.

Support for ZIP Codes with Leading Zeros

Entering ZIP codes with leading zeros is now supported on quick calls and NFIRS calls.

The leading zero is preserved when running the NFIRS 5.0 report.

Bug Fixes

When using the address on the NFIRS-8 (Wildland Fire) module instead of the address on the NFIRS-1 (Basic) module, the NFIRS 5.0 report no longer includes a blank 1010 (Incident Address) transaction in the generated file. This prevents parsing errors when submitting your NFIRS 5.0 report.
Factors Contributing to Ignition and Human Factors Contributing are now copied between the NFIRS-2 (Fire) and NFIRS-8 (Wildland Fire) modules. Fire Suppression Factors are also copied if the other module does not already have Fire Supporession Factors selected. Previously, selecting Factors Contributing to Ignition and Human Factors Contributing on the NFIRS-8 (Wildland Fire) module would clear the factors selected on the NFIRS-2 (Fire) module. This has been fixed.
Layout improvements were made to the NFIRS-9/10 (Apparatus/Personnel) module to show all form controls when editing a NFIRS call.

PPE Module

Support for Entering Generic PPE Inspections

You can now enter inspections for PPE items that do not use the built in types.

When running the PPE report, if inspection data is included, generic inspections now appear.

SCBA Module

New Model Number Field

The model number field has been added to SCBA records.

New Re-Inspection Date Shortcuts

Shortcuts for selecting a date 10 years and 15 years from today has been added when entering SCBA inspections.

These shortcuts are also available when adding multiple inspections at once.

Training Module

Total Number of Attendees Added to Training Report

The training report now includes the total number of personnel that attended at least one training event in the selected reporting period.

Miscellaneous Changes

Improvements to Notification Setup

The notification configuration screen has been updated to use radio buttons, instead of a checkbox, when enabling apparatus check or expired item notifications.

Previously, notification options were set by clicking this checkbox:

To improve the usability of these settings, the checkbox has been replaced by radio buttons: