Tablets and iPads

[Carl]

I noticed within the recruitment sections, many of those starting out at training school are either given laptops or tablets complete with all their training notes on them along with everything else they need to complete the course. Its a long way from the overhead projector and transplates that many of us endured previously. 

With the advances in technology, and of course the MDTs we have on the pumps, I wondered how much tablet technology plays a part in your service. 

I guess my question is, does your service utilise a tablet approach for any parts of the service, so they can bring up SOPs etc. I presume the majority of FDS Officers will be equipped with laptops, but perhaps not tablets. 

Feel free to discuss!

[Crog]

We were all given laptops at the beginning of our course. Still have it and think we have during the course of our development. Has every presentation and access to intranet with all the gubbins that has on it.

I believe a couple of pumps are trialling tablets at the moment, with long term plan being MDT in front and a tablet in back, helping out plan bits they need to and crews to plan other bits (hydrants, etc). Guess that will depend on how the trial goes though.

[TandA]

Officers already have them with all sops etc.

I am told we are getting a detachable tablet in the back of our machines to enhance the abilities of the MDT.

[Keith]

We're lucky to have a pad of A4 paper!

[Carl]

To those who are operational, what tablet are you using, iPads or another make ?

[TandA]

Our officers have IPads, not sure what we will be getting on the appliances.

[Firestorm]

Our new Mercs have the usual MDT in the front and a pair of asthmatically inept pair of tablets in the back. Hopefully they will someday spring into useful life with a much needed software upgrade, until then, they're a place for your tunic to sit on. They are one of the few disappointments of the new machines.

[Brandman]

LFB’s recruits all get given an iPad at training school.

It’s a way of the brigade getting around the shortening of the courses at training school, as it apparently comes preloaded with reading materials that they’re all expected to have studied and learnt by day one.

They get to keep them, too! ???

[Carl]

Apologies, I perhaps should have made my post clearer. I am mainly interested in the Operational use of tablets as opposed to what the recruits use in a bid to try and gauge if they are common place as an addition to the MDTs, and of course mobile officers, and if they are, what type are they using. 

[Becile]

Carl, some of our officers have ipads, all stations were issued with them to try and get all the safe and well and other ops surveys electronically upload and as when they returned to station would connect to the stn Wi-Fi and bobs yr uncle...guess what..it didn't work !

We have Tom Tom bridge sat nav device in our officers cars that can also connect to the Wi-Fi if we want..(never used it ! )There is talk of getting some apps put on them as they have an sd card In them ( hazmat etc ).

The new drones can send a web address for images and this is also rumoured.

The wheels of industry turn slow so I won't hold my breath.

[TandA]

Panasonic GF33 is being stated as our preferred tablet for the back of our appliances.  From the couple of pictures I have seen it looks to be some kind of variant of the fully ruggedised toughbook FZ-G1 running what appears to be Windows 10.

[Peter W]

I stumbled across this video while browsing around Dorset and Wiltshire's youtube page.  Seems to be relevant for this topic.  Can't really comment on any of it though as I am not in the service yet (working on that bit!) so no idea if these tablets are being used like this or not.

[Carl]

We have had all that for years on our pumps. Obviously officers cars were not fitted with these so wondering if they utilise the mobile tablets iPads ?

[Peter W]

I’m not sure what they use in officer cars.  I only got the info about the new Panasonic tablets from the above video.  Can anyone in Dorset give any insight?

[Carl]

Thought I would bring this back up as I found myself in a similar position that made me start the thread. 

I was mobilised on Thursday as a Tactical Adviser for the HVP into Derbyshires Toddbrook Reservoir Dam incident. Now whilst I still have plenty of HVP knowledge in my head (2yrs NR) I am not as current as I once was. Therefore I am having to refer to the odd document here and there just to be sure the practice has not changed or kit has not been removed. 

Coupled with the day job I cant carrying everyone in paper format as every FDS will know. So I am back to getting myself something to fill this void. 

Picture this: You get to a remote part of there country. Mobile signal is poor and its lashing down. Sounds familiar ?

Therefore I need a solution. First thought is iPad with decent software that stores hundreds of Fire related documents that I can pull up without the need for Wifi etc. Laptops are great but unless I am in an office, its going to get drenched. 

Let the further discussion continue as I am sure it will help many. 

[Andy1]

@Carl On my iPad I have a pdf reader which is probably your best bet and I imagine on most tablets whatever your preference you will be able to install a pdf reader. All the documents on mine are accessible without Wifi or the need to access iCloud/the internet.

[Carl]

I used to have all my docs on an iPad but it was many years ago. Ive just looked and the app I used is still current called GoodReader. Think this is the way I need to go

 

[LFB92]

I’ve emailed loads of policies to myself on the iPad and saved it in the “books” app. Means I can look at all the main operational policies within seconds and no need to find them on our computer system or carry a folder with paper copies.

[Keith]

A couple of thoughts on this, could you not use the host brigade's MDT? Like ours although the terminals are probably years out of date they should hold the current version of the brigades policies and procedures.

The other thing is with such major incidents do they not establish multi agency response rooms close to the incident where you should at least be able to access the t'internet, where I'm sure you'll be able to find what you need?

[Carl]

In my role as a Tac Adviser Keith, I find myself either on flooding of wildfire and remote. In some cases, power is down and so I need a means of holding documentations that exists in a HVP World of Tactical Advice. I have a whole host of this in document a paper form which I then carry in the boot. I want to have it all on a tablet to reduce size, weight and be able to access it in the field so to speak.

[Becile]

An area that NFCC could/should invest in maybe?

[Carl]

On 18/06/2018 at 19:30, TandA said:

I am told we are getting a detachable tablet in the back of our machines to enhance the abilities of the MDT

Looks like we are going down this route also. Panasonic looking like the favourite so far. 

[Rory-495]

I think ours are Panasonic in LFB. They're useful if they work. But very slow and crash A LOT. A memo came around recently asking people to turn them off once a week to stop them crashing. But I think the move is using them not just at incidents but for doing 72d visits, HFSV  etc

[Carl]

What particular tasks do you use them for on incidents @Rory-495. Does the IC (WM) use it or reserved for (SM)

[Matt]

Panasonic and Getac are the popular ones from a the rugged view. At the end of the day they are a computer and run Windows and unlike a iPad for example will need a regular reboot, receiving updates all the time a regular reboot should only take a few moments.  It seems to be popular to have the main MDT in the front that is removable but also a smaller one or two in the back for accessing things like maps, crash data but also use on HFSV's and enter straight into the system.