Challenge: Limited Tools for Critical Response
Prior to implementing StreetWise in 2013, Spokane FPD 8 relied on outdated systems:
- Alpha pagers for alerts
- Paper map books for navigation
- Three-ring binders with printed Word documents for preplans
- Paper-based reporting systems
- VHF radio systems for inter-unit communication
These limitations created significant operational challenges, including:
- Difficulty navigating with outdated map books
- Inability to track new hydrant locations not reflected on maps
- Cumbersome preplan documentation that was difficult to keep current
- Lack of real-time situational awareness during responses
"Navigating using outdated map books, tracking new hydrant locations that were not on the maps, and maintaining old paper preplans that were difficult to keep current were our biggest challenges," notes Captain Wainwright.
Solution: Comprehensive Digital Response Platform
In 2012, the then Fire Chief discovered StreetWise CADlink in a trade publication and assigned staff to investigate. "Back in 2012 our Fire Chief at the time (now retired) saw an ad for this system called 'StreetWise CADlink' in a publication and had my partner and I look into it. We thought those guys don't look too sketchy so we dove in head first," recalls Captain Wainwright. "It was one of the single best decisions our organization has made in our history."
The department now utilizes three core StreetWise products:
Implementation Experience
The transition to StreetWise was remarkably smooth. Department personnel embraced the technology immediately, with minimal training required.
"They loved it. Monumental change for us," says Captain Wainwright about the initial reaction. "The training and implementation process was smooth and effortless from our training division. [Our team became comfortable] almost instantly. This system is so intuitive and operates like any apps members already had."
Operational Improvements
Immediate Benefits
The department experienced significant improvements immediately after implementation:
"Speed and accuracy to the address, more accurate hydrant locations, the ability to change preplan and have them update in real-time is priceless," Captain Wainwright explains.
- Enhanced Navigation Accuracy: "No more delays looking at a wall map or map book. The system pins the actual location at the house so we know exactly where we are going," states Captain Wainwright.
- Critical Information Access: "Having the ability to pin waypoints to a location that has a lock box or hidden key has substantially reduced the amount of force entries we have had to do, saving the taxpayer from fixing our forces," Captain Wainwright notes.
- Improved Situational Awareness: "Having the real-time AVL has made a substantial improvement in our situational awareness when responding with other units," explains Captain Wainwright.
- Enhanced Preplanning: "StreetWise has greatly improved how we operate. We have much more accurate and up-to-date pre-plans. By using StreetWise we are lightyears ahead of our partner agencies that are not using StreetWise," Captain Wainwright emphasizes.
Most Used Features
The department heavily relies on several key features: "The Tactical Map, Waypoints, Measuring distance for rural Driveways, more features than I can list," says Captain Wainwright when asked about their most frequently used features.
Impact Across Department Roles
StreetWise has transformed operations for personnel at all levels:
Command Staff
"It has been great for our response chiefs as they have the ability to see our units on large scale wildland fire in real-time," explains Captain Wainwright. "This gives them a much better idea as to the scale of the incident. This helps with drawing evacuation zones and setting divisional breaks for resource allocation. They use this system for so many different types of calls in different ways it is hard to put them all down."
Company Officers
"They use it every day and would really be lost at this point if we ever lost the system," says Captain Wainwright. "As a Company officer myself, it was life-changing."
Drivers
"They love to be able to go to the Smartboard and quickly look at routing and their closest hydrant. Much better situational awareness for them," Captain Wainwright notes.
Firefighters
"The Responder app has made a dramatic change in their ability to have information from the back seat with hydrant locations, what the structure looks like before we arrive, and any noted hazards that may be on a waypoint," Captain Wainwright explains.
Regional Expansion and Innovation
The success of StreetWise at Spokane FPD 8 has led to wider adoption throughout Spokane County. "They all love the system and talk about it to other agencies. This is probably why we have seen so many other agencies in Spokane County come on board with StreetWise," Captain Wainwright observes.
A notable innovation has been their partnership with the County-wide Dispatch Center's GIS department and StreetWise for hydrant updates:
"One piece we have already implemented in Spokane County for all StreetWise users is a partnership with our Countywide Dispatch Center GIS department and StreetWise to hydrant updates," explains Captain Wainwright. "This is done by adding new hydrants on the StreetWise platform then at a given time every year StreetWise sends our GIS department all of the StreetWise inputted 'New Hydrants'. Our GIS adds these to the master list and sends StreetWise this file to replace the old hydrant file."
This collaboration has "greatly increased the accuracy and efficiency of our hydrant location and data for both the fire districts and our dispatch center. This would not be possible without StreetWise and how versatile the system is," according to Captain Wainwright.
Unique Applications
Beyond standard emergency response, the department has found innovative uses for the system:
"We do use StreetWise on one of our UTVs when we have to do trail rescues in our many hiking trail systems around the county," shares Captain Wainwright. "This has allowed us to make waypoints and track crew progression where we were not able to before."
System Reliability and Support
Spokane FPD 8 reports excellent system reliability, with most technical issues stemming from their CAD system or dispatch center rather than StreetWise itself.
"The system is very stable. Most of the problems we have seen have been on our side from the CAD or dispatch center," explains Captain Wainwright. "We have several vendors for different platforms and by far StreetWise has the absolute best customer support of any vendor we work with or ever have worked with. They are incredible at customer support and service."
Future Plans
"We will be adding unit status once our new CAD goes live," says Captain Wainwright about their future plans. The department is preparing to expand its use of StreetWise as it transitions to a new CAD vendor.
"We are already planning on using more features once the new CAD is in place," Captain Wainwright adds. "[The integration] has been great on a limited scale, however, we are changing CAD vendors currently, and StreetWise has been heavily involved with this buildout, which will allow us to use many more features in StreetWise that we could not use before with our old CAD."
Conclusion
After over a decade of use, StreetWise has become deeply integrated into Spokane FPD 8's operations.
"The accuracy, speed, and ability to work with us [has surprised me most]," says Captain Wainwright. "StreetWise is the single most used system in our Fire District and works great!"
When asked what advice he would give other departments considering StreetWise, Captain Wainwright's response was straightforward: "Have a demo from the team and then try it out. This system really does sell itself."
Captain Wainwright summarizes their experience: "The only challenges we have had is through our CAD vendor. Nothing that StreetWise has done has been challenging. I think the growth of user agencies that we have seen in Spokane County of StreetWise proves how great the system works. This has probably been one of the best success stories I have seen for any system in my 35 years in the fire service here in Spokane County."