News: Cal Fire Wins Tech Award

Monday, September 29, 2008

News: Cal Fire Wins Tech Award

Cal Fire was one of five California groups to win national recognition for outstanding achievement and leadership for technology projects and large project management. The National Association of Chief Information Officers sponsored the contest. There were more than 114 submissions to this year's competition in 10 categories by 30 states. Cal Fire won for its computer-aided dispatch system.

"Often, the first contact the public has in an emergency is with our 911 command centers," said CAL FIRE Director Ruben Grijalva. "Through innovation and teamwork, our information technology staff has greatly enhanced CAL FIRE's ability to deliver life-saving emergency response with this computer aided dispatch system."

NASCIO's Recognition Awards Program features categories reflecting the wide range of Information Technology projects currently under development within state governments. Emphasis was placed on recognizing programs that exemplify best practices, support the public policy goals of state leaders, represent an innovative use of existing technology or a use of new technology, assist government officials to efficiently execute their duties, provide cost-effective service to citizens and are transferable to other agencies or units of government.

Source article: Fire Chief magazine article

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Monday, September 29, 2008