Built for Fire and EMS — Not Adapted From Something Else

This distinction matters more than most chiefs realize when evaluating technology options. Some response platforms on the market started as law enforcement software and were later adapted for fire service use. Others are consumer-grade messaging apps with an alerting layer bolted on. StreetWise was designed from the ground up for fire and EMS operations — the workflows, the data requirements, the operational tempo, and the specific challenges that fire-based response creates.

The full StreetWise product suite includes:

• CADlink: Full-featured apparatus MDT for tablets and laptops — mapping, navigation, preplans, status buttons, AVL, tactical command tools
• Responder: Smartphone app for individual on-call and volunteer responders — call notification, status buttons, location tracking
• Station SmartBoards: Station display monitors — idle mode dashboard with schedules, announcements, weather, and live unit locations; automatic alert mode with mapped call location, navigation route, hydrant data, and chute timer
• Digital Dispatch: LED display board — displays call information within 200 milliseconds of dispatch, easy Wi-Fi installation
• CADuceus: Lightweight web-based CAD system — call entry by address or map click, unit management, full-screen AVL, complete integration with all StreetWise products
• RMS Integration: Automated incident report export to your records management system — included at no additional cost

Every product integrates with the others, so a department can start with one and expand over time without switching vendors or losing data continuity.

Combination Departments Running Both Fire and EMS

If your department handles both fire suppression and emergency medical response — and most do — you need technology that treats both equally. Nationally, 64% of all fire department runs are EMS and rescue calls, with only 4% being actual fire responses (USFA Fire Department Overall Run Profile). For many combination departments, the ratio is even more lopsided.

StreetWise handles fire and EMS calls identically. Status timestamps, AVL tracking, and incident benchmarks work the same whether the call is a structure fire or a cardiac arrest. The Patient Contact Made benchmark button captures the precise moment care begins — a timestamp that matters enormously for EMS quality improvement but is almost impossible to capture accurately through manual methods or radio communication.

RMS auto-export covers both fire and EMS incident reporting. Incident location, nature, date, dispatch time, and all unit status timestamps auto-populate into your records management system before crews have returned to the station. For departments submitting data to NERIS, the automated pipeline handles the data quality requirements regardless of call type.

Spokane County Fire Protection District 8 is a real-world example of this in action — a department responding to approximately 4,500 calls annually with EMS comprising the majority of their call volume, using StreetWise across their entire operation.

Volunteer and Small Departments on Tight Budgets

One of the most common misconceptions about modern response technology is that it requires a large upfront investment. For volunteer and small departments operating within annual technology budgets of $3,000–$10,000, a tiered adoption approach makes modernization realistic:

• Start with Responder. The smartphone-based response app runs on personal devices your members already own — no hardware purchase required. One-touch status buttons let everyone know who's responding and where they are. Instant call notification with incident details, mapped location, and navigation replaces one-way pagers overnight.
• Add Station SmartBoards. SmartBoards are plug-and-play with any HDMI-capable screen. No MDT subscription is needed, and installation takes minutes through the board's internal Wi-Fi. Your station gets a daily information dashboard that switches instantly to alert mode when a call drops — complete with mapped location, navigation route from the station, surrounding hydrants, and a chute timer countdown.
• Consider CADuceus for dispatch. If your department doesn't have a traditional CAD system — and many smaller departments and private EMS providers don't — CADuceus provides a lightweight, web-based dispatch solution at a fraction of the cost of a full CAD system. Dispatchers can enter calls by address or map click, see which resources are available, and track every unit on a live AVL screen. It integrates fully with CADlink, Responder, and SmartBoards.
• Build toward full apparatus MDTs as budget allows. CADlink on tablets provides the complete suite of mapping, preplanning, navigation, AVL, tactical waypoints, and incident management tools that transform the response experience.

Each step delivers standalone value while building toward a fully integrated system over time. And because RMS integration is included at no additional cost, you're not paying extra for the data pipeline that connects your field tools to your reporting systems.

Departments Struggling with Data Accuracy and NERIS Compliance

If your response time reports don't reflect reality — because they depend on busy dispatchers manually recording unit timestamps over congested radio channels — you're not alone. It's one of the most common frustrations among fire and EMS leaders, and it directly undermines performance analysis, accreditation documentation, and NERIS reporting quality.

StreetWise solves this at the source. When a crew member taps a status button — en route, on scene, available — the precise timestamp is instantly recorded server-side. No radio call needed, no dispatcher bottleneck, no after-the-fact data entry. Benchmarking status buttons can also record incident-specific milestones like First Water Applied, Patient Contact Made, and PAR Check Conducted, creating a level of documentation precision that manual methods simply can't match.

The automated RMS export takes this further. Incident data, unit timestamps, tactical actions, and benchmark recordings flow directly into your records management system — creating the incident report before crews return to the station. For departments that have struggled with the NFIRS to NERIS transition, this automated pipeline ensures the data reaching NERIS meets the system's quality and granularity expectations.

For those CAD systems that allow it, bii-directional CAD interfaces add another layer. Status button activations in StreetWise are instantly available to your CAD vendor, so dispatch sees the same real-time status information your crews are generating in the field. The data chain stays intact from the field device to the dispatch console to the records management system to NERIS — with no manual handoff points where errors creep in.

Departments That Participate in Mutual Aid or Auto-Aid Agreements

Regional data sharing isn't an add-on feature in StreetWise — it's a foundational design principle. For departments that participate in mutual aid or automatic aid agreements, the ability to share operational data across agency boundaries makes a measurable difference in response coordination and firefighter safety.

Here's what shared data looks like in practice:

• Shared AVL: Mutual aid units appear on your tactical map in real time with directional apparatus icons, staffing information, pump and tank capacity, and EMS level — so you know what's coming and when it will arrive
• Shared preplans and hydrant data: When a mutual aid company responds to a call in your territory, they can pull up your preplans and hydrant locations on their own devices — arriving informed rather than blind
• Shared tactical waypoints: An incident commander drops a NIMS-oriented waypoint on the tactical map, and it appears on every engaged device across all responding agencies within seconds
• Shared map customizations: Road construction, disabled sprinklers, gated community access codes — information waypoints that your neighboring departments see in real time

Each department retains complete control over their own data while choosing what to share with partners. StreetWise's bi-directional interfaces with multiple CAD vendors mean the platform bridges different dispatch systems, so mutual aid partners don't need to be using the same CAD to share operational data through StreetWise.

Departments Pursuing Accreditation or ISO Improvements

Accreditation through CPSE and ISO rating improvements both depend on one thing: precise, auditable data that documents your department's performance over time. StreetWise is specifically set up to assist with accreditation by providing the automated data collection, timestamp precision, and reporting tools that evaluators expect.

Automated status timestamps create documentation that manual recording can't match — every unit status change captured to the second, server-side, with no reliance on dispatcher entries or radio logs. Incident benchmark recording adds depth, capturing operational milestones that demonstrate your department's effectiveness beyond basic response times.

The web database portal provides easy access to canned reports, custom reports, and analytics — giving you the documentation you need for evaluators without requiring hours of manual report compilation. For departments working to demonstrate compliance with NFPA standards or build a Standard of Cover document, this level of automated data collection transforms what used to be a painful documentation exercise into a natural byproduct of daily operations.

For a deeper look at how data accuracy connects to ISO scores, see How Data Accuracy Drives Better Department Scores.

Which StreetWise Products Do What — Quick Reference

For a detailed side-by-side breakdown of capabilities across products, visit the feature comparison table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does StreetWise work with my existing CAD system?

StreetWise integrates with a wide range of CAD systems through multiple inbound data formats including direct API post, database polling, file pickup, and email. Bi-directional interfaces are available for sharing AVL and status button data back to many CAD vendors, including Motorola Flex, Hexagon, and Central Square systems. If your department doesn't have a CAD system at all, CADuceus provides a lightweight dispatch solution that integrates fully with the rest of the StreetWise suite.

Can we start with just one product and add more later?

Absolutely — and many departments do exactly that. Starting with Responder for smartphone-based call notification, then adding SmartBoards for station alerting, then moving to full CADlink on apparatus tablets is a common and practical adoption path. Every StreetWise product integrates with the others, so you're building toward a unified system from day one without having to rip and replace anything along the way.

How does StreetWise handle departments with both fire and EMS responsibilities?

Identically. Status timestamps, AVL, preplans, tactical tools, and RMS integration all function the same whether the call is a structure fire, a medical emergency, a hazmat incident, or a rescue operation. EMS-specific benchmark buttons like Patient Contact Made capture clinical milestones with the same precision that First Water Applied captures fire suppression milestones. One platform, one data pipeline, one reporting workflow — regardless of call type.

What kind of training and support does StreetWise provide?

StreetWise includes a detailed training video library covering all products, plus 24-hour technical support. Optional on-site installation and training is available for departments that prefer hands-on setup assistance. The platform is designed for intuitive use during high-stress situations — large buttons, simple interfaces, minimal steps — so most crews are comfortable within a few calls. Contact us to discuss training options for your department.

Finding Your Starting Point

There's no single right way to adopt StreetWise. A 200-person combination department running 5,000 calls a year has different needs and a different budget than a 25-member volunteer station running 400 calls. That's exactly why the platform is modular — so your starting point matches your reality, and you can grow from there.

Whatever your department's size, budget, or operational focus, there's a practical entry point that delivers immediate value. The best way to figure out which one is right for you is a conversation, not a brochure.

Schedule a free demo and bring your toughest questions. We'd rather help you find the right fit than sell you something you don't need.