The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is one of the busiest and most diverse emergency services in the world, responding to more than 1.5 million 911 calls annually. To keep up with the growing and changing needs of the city, the FDNY recently launched a new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, called FireCAD, that replaced the outdated and unreliable STARFIRE system that had been in use for 45 years. FireCAD is a modern and flexible platform that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the FDNY’s dispatch operations, and marks the most significant operational upgrade in the department’s history.
The Challenges of STARFIRE
STARFIRE was the CAD system that the FDNY had been using since 1977, when it was considered a state-of-the-art technology. However, over the years, STARFIRE became increasingly difficult to maintain and update, as it was based on obsolete hardware and software that could not support the expanding needs of the FDNY. STARFIRE was also prone to crashes and glitches, which could delay the processing of emergencies and the deployment of resources. According to FDNY Deputy Commissioner JonPaul Augier, STARFIRE had a reliability of 99.9%, which meant that it could have up to nine hours of downtime per year. This may seem acceptable, but in a city where every second counts, any interruption in the dispatch system could have serious consequences.
STARFIRE also had a limited and cumbersome user interface, which consisted of a black screen and green text that resembled a scene from a “WarGames” movie. The interface was not intuitive or user-friendly, and required extensive training and memorization of codes and commands. Moreover, STARFIRE did not have an administrative interface, which meant that any changes to the system had to be done manually by coding, which was a time-consuming and error-prone process. STARFIRE also lacked some of the features and functionalities that are essential for today’s emergency services, such as the ability to create temporary response zones, to handle multiple types of incidents, and to integrate with other systems and data sources.
The Benefits of FireCAD
FireCAD is the result of a four-year project that involved a collaboration between the FDNY and Accenture, a global professional services company that specializes in technology and innovation. Accenture designed, developed, and custom-built FireCAD’s platform, based on the input and feedback of FDNY dispatchers and subject matter experts. FireCAD was launched on August 2, 2023, at 3:43 a.m., when the call volume was low, and successfully replaced STARFIRE without any major issues.
FireCAD is a robust and flexible platform that addresses the limitations and challenges of STARFIRE, and provides new features and functionalities that enhance the FDNY’s dispatch operations. Some of the benefits of FireCAD are:
- Reliability: FireCAD has a reliability of 99.99%, which means that it has only 52 minutes of downtime per year, a significant improvement over STARFIRE. FireCAD also has a more robust development environment, which allows for testing and staging of new patches and features before deploying them to the live system. FireCAD also has a backup system that can take over in case of a failure, ensuring continuity of service.
- User Interface: FireCAD has a modern and intuitive user interface, which is easier to use and navigate than STARFIRE. FireCAD uses graphical icons, menus, and buttons, instead of text-based codes and commands, which reduces the need for training and memorization. FireCAD also displays relevant data and information to the dispatchers, such as maps, unit statuses, incident types, and response times, which helps them make better and faster decisions. FireCAD also has an administrative interface, which allows dispatch supervisors to make changes to the system quickly and independently, such as creating temporary response zones, adjusting unit assignments, and modifying response plans.
- Functionality: FireCAD has more functionality and features than STARFIRE, which enables the FDNY to handle more types of emergencies and scenarios. FireCAD can handle multiple types of incidents, such as fires, medical emergencies, hazardous materials, and terrorist attacks, and assign the appropriate resources and protocols for each situation. FireCAD can also integrate with other systems and data sources, such as 911, GIS, AVL, and RMS, which provides a more comprehensive and accurate picture of the emergency and the response. FireCAD can also generate reports and analytics, which can help the FDNY monitor and improve its performance and efficiency.
The Impact of FireCAD
FireCAD is a transformative technology that has improved the FDNY’s dispatch operations and capabilities, and has enhanced the safety and service of the city’s residents and visitors. FireCAD has made the dispatch process more reliable, efficient, and effective, which can save lives and property. FireCAD has also made the dispatchers’ work easier and more satisfying, as they can focus more on the emergency and less on the system. FireCAD has also prepared the FDNY for the future, as it can adapt and expand to meet the evolving needs and challenges of the city.
FireCAD is a testament to the FDNY’s commitment to innovation and excellence, and to the collaboration and partnership between the FDNY and Accenture. FireCAD is not only a new CAD system, but a new way of dispatching, and a new way of serving the city.
