What's New?

The sketch application you’ve been asking for is here! FH Sketch for the FIREHOUSE Software Occupancy Module will be available in May with the latest FH 7.5 maintenance release, and FH Sketch integration into FH Mobile Inspections & Occupancies soon after. The intuitive interface and seamless integration makes drawing, modifying, updating and exporting pre-plans simpler and easier than ever. Visit the FH Sketch home page for more details and videos showing this exciting new add-on component to the FIREHOUSE Software product line.

FH Mobile version 1.7 release is available now. This release is a full update of the program modules and SQL database. The program update contains several application enhancements and defect resolutions reported by clients from earlier FH Mobile versions. Click FH Mobile 1.7 Release Notes for details about the additions and modifications.

The 2009 NFPA Life Safety Codes, 2009 NFPA 1 Codes, and 2009 International Fire Codes are available for purchase in an FH-ready format. For price information, please contact your regional FH sales representative.

The FIREHOUSE Software version 7.5 maintenance release is being distributed on a limited basis. It is a full update of the program and database, containing changes addressing issues reported by clients since the release of FH 7.3. This update addresses all NFIRS code enhancements implemented January 1st, 2009, most notably the canceled en-route time validation and Fire Spread in association with the Object of Origin for the Structure Fire section of a fire report. Design documentation for the 2009 Specification Cycle, including specification changes and corrections, is available at http://www.nfirs.fema.gov/documentation/design/.

Additional install components are available with the CD for some states implementing the NHTSA v2.2 (NEMSIS) code set. Click What’s New in FH 7.5 for a detailed list of changes and resolutions in this release. No new features have been included in this version requiring special training.

The U.S. Fire Administration published an important announcement on October 15, 2009 at http://www.nfirs.fema.gov/ related to the NFIRS 2010 update. The announcement states: "Due to major infrastructure upgrades, changes to maintenance procedures, and an upcoming relocation of the NFIRS production site, the January 2010 NFIRS change cycle will be deferred until January 2011. There will be no NFIRS specification changes this year. All planned 2010 cycle changes will be deferred until January 2011."

In May and June, we conducted a survey of 1,000 clients using our FIREHOUSE Software applications. Click HERE to review the results.

Preliminary testing of FIREHOUSE Software with both Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 were successful. Installations and database attachments have been performed successfully. Detailed testing is ongoing at this time. New information will be posted here as results return from testing.

ACS FIREHOUSE Software is excited to introduce Device Monitor with the new FH Mobile v1.6. Device Monitor is an installable add-on component for FH Mobile EMS ePCR to collect data information from Medtronic LifePak 12 cardiac monitors, and populate the data into FH Mobile patient records. Additional details are available on the FH Mobile ePCR page.

In conjunction with webex.com, FIREHOUSE Software has created some pre-recorded instructional webcasts providing detailed steps for resolving some of the most frequently asked questions by clients to the FH technical support team. The webcasts are available for viewing here, and from our Downloads section

Fire Act Funds a Multi-Organization Study Aimed at Helping Fire Departments Assess and Respond to Risks

With a second major grant of $1 million from the research section of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act), five top fire research organizations continue collaborating to develop tools that will help local fire departments better assess the risks in their local communities and plan to respond to them more effectively and efficiently.

The three-year project, being conducted jointly by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), will establish a technical basis for risk evaluation and deployment of resources by local fire departments and create tools the departments can use to better assess the risks and hazards in their communities; plan adequate resource deployment to respond to and mitigate emergency events; and measure their effectiveness in responding to and handling events.

“This is a study many fire industry leaders have dreamed of for several years,” said Chief Dennis Compton of the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) a technical advisor to the project. “Until now, it has simply not been possible, due to the complexity of the tasks proposed and the costs involved.

“By bringing together recognized experts in the fields of fire and EMS industry, economics, statistics, model evaluation, standards of cover, geographical information systems, and fire protection engineering, we will ensure that the result will be a comprehensive, validated assessment model that will serve the fire service for many years,” added Harold Schaitberger, IAFF General President.

In Phase I of the three-phase project, experts brought together project technical advisors and a stakeholder group to identify and quantify community risks and necessary resource deployment.

As part of the study, fire scientist are developing and testing mathematic models representing risks, fire movement, and various interventions for mitigating a fire or EMS event. In Phase II, they will collect hazard and response measurements that will form the technical basis for the model. Phase III will be devoted to validating and beta-testing the software for accuracy and ease-of-use. Once complete, a new software called VISION will be re-released through CFAI. All purchasers of the original version of VISION will receive updated versions as they become available.

To learn how your department can participate, go to www.firereporting.org

Questions regarding the study may be directed to Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell at 202-824-1594 or Lmoore@iaff.org