Interview
With Firetab we have a deployment software for everything

Daniela Obrecht, 19.06.2017
How is Firetab used by fire departments? We asked Urs Ackermann, Deputy Commander of the Pizol Fire Department.

Why did you choose Firetab?

We wanted one deployment software for everything. With Firetab we have found it. In the depot, we have the screen display with the alarm message, information about the deployment site and the option to display other important info. On the tablets, we can immediately see if there is any deployment data for the affected object, and the overview with the plans (water, sewage, gas, house numbers) is also directly available. Furthermore, the Azurito team made a good impression on us during the presentation. Our request to implement additional programming for time recording was immediately met. So the cooperation works very well and the team is ready to take the system even further.

What is your experience with data collection?

We are in the fortunate position that we have done the homework on scheduling. We have a good team that creates it and keeps it up to date. So it was easy to import all of our deployment plans into the Firetab system. The importing itself is very easy and was done in a relatively short time.

How does Firetab benefit the Pizol Fire Department?

With Firetab, we quickly get an overview of where the incident is, the nearest hydrant or whether the building has a gas connection. The deployment plans or other important object-related information can also be called up immediately. Road closures are also immediately visible. So we can immediately look for an alternative route. What is also practical and interesting is the status display with the times. For example, we can see how long it took for the first vehicle to leave the depot and when it arrived at the scene. We have also worked with the journal in the field and created the Kroki. This was judged very positively by the AdF of command support.

How do you personally see the future of the militia fire department?

The militia fire department will and must be a part of the future. But it is also the case that the time required is becoming ever greater. It is important to relieve the firefighters of administrative and material tasks as much as possible, so that everything does not suddenly become too much. Therefore, there will probably be more and more fire departments that have between 100 and 300 full-time positions for these tasks. This way, the remaining firefighters can concentrate on exercises and operations.

fire pizol software

The Pizol Fire Brigade is a voluntary fire department. Its operational area covers 181.34 square kilometers and extends over the three political communities of Mels with the Weisstannental, Vilters-Wangs with the Pizol area and Sargans. For the 19'000 inhabitants in the area of the Pizol fire department, 115 firefighters are on duty around the clock. The fire department is currently in charge of 60 automatic fire alarm systems in its area of responsibility. Including the large shopping stores near the highway exit Sargans-Mels. Furthermore, the Pizol Fire Department is also a road rescue base. The operational area includes the above mentioned municipalities as well as the municipality of Wartau in the Rhine Valley, the A3 highway between Flums and Bad Ragaz and the A13 highway between Sargans and Sevelen. In the canton of St. Gallen, the Pizol Fire Brigade is thus in charge of the longest section of freeway, totaling 35 km. In addition, it provides personnel and material support to the surrounding communities when needed.

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