Turnout Information Management system (TIM)

[mattb]

A few people have been asking about the new fire station Turnout Information Management (TIM) system we are trialling at Morphett Vale.

The Turnout Information Manger (TIM) takes the response pager messages and reformats them in a much more human friendly format (large coloured display, printed copies and spoken out loud). The display can be presented on multiple (LCD) displays placed at strategic locations around the fire station. Video splitters are available that will allow up to 8 displays to be run from a single computer. TIM takes the messages as sent via the GRN pager network and requires no human intervention for them to be displayed in these forms.

Pager messages are captured by an scanner and passed to a computer via a serial port interface to a paging decoder program (PDW). Response messages for a particular brigade or brigades are then exported from PDW to TIM. 

TIM removes unnecessary components of the message (for example, the words MFS &  CFSRES, the time/date), extracts important information – incident type, job details and address, incident number, UBD map references, talkgroup allocated, paged brigades and displays this information on a number of (LCD) displays strategically placed in the station, it converts the job details to speech and finally prints the relevant part of the UBD map showing the incident location as well as the raw pager message.

The major features of TIM are …

1.   Display of pager messages on large LCD screens
2.   Colour coded display timer to indicate response time compliance
3.   Speak pager messages with realistic voice - repeated as required
4.   Print map of UBD reference
5.   Require no user intervention
6.   Ability to scroll back through pager message history

In the future it may be possible to run TIM from the off air decoder in each station, this would be a more desirable situation as running PDW can be problematic.

At this stage we are still only trialling the system and have not yet setup additional monitors around the station, however it is planned that at least two will be installed in the near future.

The program is actually designed for the CFA system, however I have been working with the developer for approximately six months to modify it for the S.A. environment. It is hoped that it will eventually be commercially available for all brigades once we are happy with it.

To give you an idea on what it looks like I have added a few screenshots of TIM  running and the printouts it gives you.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s185/mattb850/CFS/TIMScreen8.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s185/mattb850/CFS/TIMmap2.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s185/mattb850/CFS/TIMScreen7.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s185/mattb850/CFS/TIMmap1.jpg

[Cameron Yelland]

Well Done Matt.

Good to see brigades embracing new technology.  What would the costs be to a brigade to install such a system?

[Zippy]

haha thats a good reminder that the Pager Messages UBD reference only refers to the road location not the precise location.

[CFS_Firey]

Cool technology.  I'd be interested to know how useful your brigade finds it.

[mattb]

Good to see brigades embracing new technology.  What would the costs be to a brigade to install such a system?

Unknown at this stage, although I think CFA volunteer brigades are paying $600 for the software, that includes a license for a commercial voice engine as well. Still to early to talk $$$ here though.

For info all new CFA stations are now having a turnout system of some type installed, has been happening over there for a few years now.

haha thats a good reminder that the Pager Messages UBD reference only refers to the road location not the precise location.

That is something we make sure all of our guys are aware of - amazing how many brigades get caught out by going to where the map reference says not where the actual job is.

At the moment the mapping with TIM is limited to UBD, however once we go to SACAD and grid references become the norm we can integrate that into TIM as well.

[boredmatrix]

all well and good for it to be in the station - when is it going to be modified to be vehicle mounted??

oh thats right - SACAD will fix that............it's called MDT!

[Zippy]

Some possible ideas for adding to this TIM software that came to mind would be:
1. integrating automated "More Crew Required" Pages using Email (relying on some method of "Stopping the clock" as to when sufficent crew have responded)
2. Printouts of a same style as the LCD screen display but for A4 paper.
3. And yes of course a possible mobile version of this to have in the Appliance on a PointofSales touchscreen computer or PDA

Linking it with Oziexplorer would be great, for Grid References provided that SACAD will show a GR in a pager message as "GR######".

[Red Message]

Just how versatile is this system? Does it have the ability to add information regarding specific buildings or areas? Reading from a stored information database or somesuch?

Its good to see things moving toward more information being available, on something thats not just the pager. You've gotta love the computers voice rendition of "House fire, Pumper A, Pumper B"

[Zippy]

Open Source'ness? 

[mattb]

Some possible ideas for adding to this TIM software that came to mind would be:
1. integrating automated "More Crew Required" Pages using Email (relying on some method of "Stopping the clock" as to when sufficent crew have responded)
2. Printouts of a same style as the LCD screen display but for A4 paper.

The paging is something that I think could be possible, possibly through an email gateway. Could be something to look at down the track. The current printouts are A4 size, they have the map in the top half and the text of the pager message on the bottom - whether or not you are able to strip away some of the less useful info is something I am not certain about.

Just how versatile is this system? Does it have the ability to add information regarding specific buildings or areas? Reading from a stored information database or somesuch?

Based on my limited knowledge of the way the system works I think this would be possible. You could base it on alarm numbers or key words. At this stage though the system does not recognise messages relating to WFAM alarms.

You've gotta love the computers voice rendition of "House fire, Pumper A, Pumper B"

If you are interested in hearing some of the voices available have a look here http://www.nextuptech.com/ We are currently trailing the Australian Karen one.

[Red Message]

As far as voices go, as long as you don't go for the slightly gay sounding man we have, its all good!

[Zippy]

ahh thats the voice in MFB stations aint it!  (refering to Hamish and Andy on there day as firies )

edit note: I was refering to KAREN,  Mel ...did i go out all my way to say the hamish and andy part for nothing mate

[CFS_Firey]

Actually Zippy, the "NSWFB 001 Stn." part in Red Message's sig means he's from Sydney - that's about 715KM North-East of Melbourne...   

[CFS_Firey]

Mattb, what's the latest on the TIM?  Is it ready for other interested brigades to start trialling, or are the improvements still rolling in?

[mattb]

I thought someone may bring this up soon, I was very close to posting some more info on here in the next week or so anyway.

Since we setup the trial system at Morphett Vale earlier this year a number of changes have been made. We now have one LCD monitor in the radio room, one in the engine bay and a second about to go up in the engine bay next week as well. We have been very happy with the system so far and the guys at the station can see it being a huge advantage to us.

We now have the ability to print out a second page for any specific premises (mainly fixed alarm / private alarms), it has a map of the buildings as well as after hours contacts, key numbers, traffic light numbers, hazards etc etc. There has been some streamlining of some of the other features as well, including the voice over now giving the appliance callsigns / station names on the response message.

We are also working with HQ staff and Blu-Fi wireless to extract data from the Fire Station Interface and feed it directly into the serial port on the PC, therby removing the need for a scanner and PDW software.

There is also more work being done on it to make it more versatile for the MFS but it is should be pretty much ready to roll out to CFS brigades in the next couple of weeks.

I believe the cost for a volunteer brigade is $600.

I will try and get a couple of pics of the second page print out up in a day or two as well as a copy of the instruction manual for the SA version so you can see the how it all works.

Regards

Matt

[Zippy]

Is there the option of just being able to have the Print out system?  Essentially just the pager message in large font.

[CFS_Firey]

I'd be interested in learning more about the response plan print out.  is it triggered by a street address, or key words?  (for example, would "CAR FIRE, Main St, NUFF NUFF, AT CALTEX PETROL STATION" trigger a print off for the the Caltex on Main St at Nuff Nuff?).
An is the print off a template, or could it be provided with (for example) a PDF response plan that has already been developed?

[boredmatrix]

and who's going to update that database every month?

UBD can't get it right, and they are the most widely used.....

[bajdas]

and who's going to update that database every month?

UBD can't get it right, and they are the most widely used.....

The maintenance $$ is the stinger in any computer system...most don't make much money on the initial sale, but they do in the maintenance, updates, enhancements, service packs, etc, etc.

** I do not know the TIMS system, but opinion based on working in the IT industry **

[mattb]

and who's going to update that database every month?

Which database ?? TIM will hold info on specific risks - the same data we collect for our specific risk plans (A and B risks). As far as I know most brigades only update this data once every couple of years, and generally it doesn't change a great deal (normally only names and numbers).

[bajdas]

and who's going to update that database every month?

Which database ?? TIM will hold info on specific risks - the same data we collect for our specific risk plans (A and B risks). As far as I know most brigades only update this data once every couple of years, and generally it doesn't change a great deal (normally only names and numbers).

Maps would need to be updated. I have electronic copies of 2002 topographical & UBD maps. It is amazing how much the roads have changed & new suburbs have developed.

[rescue5271]

Well done matt,sounds like you guys have doen your homework and if it works for the brigade so be it.....Tell me does TIMmake coffee yet in the wee small hours???

[Zippy]

You could get your Alpha Decoder to do that for ya   Connect it to a Coffee Dispenser...CFSRES between 12-8am > 6 Coffees ready to take to a job lol

[mattb]

It looks as though the maps will come from the UBD street data CD, I believe a licence agreement is currently being sorted out.I guess it's up to brigades as to how often they update these.

We have found that we have about twenty pages of the UBD stored on the hard drive and have not really needed any others, if you are going that far out of your area then you have enough time to pull out the UBD and look up where the job is.

[boredmatrix]

meh..who needs UBD when GOOGLE maps does it for free!!