By Daniel Whatley
Fire Chief Bourbon Fire
Protection District
Firefighters with the Bourbon Fire Protection District are using technology to provide adequately staffed apparatus in a timely fashion. IamResponding.com lets firefighters know immediately who is available to respond to calls, where they are responding, and when they will be responding. This saves critical time for the fire district when responding to emergencies.
After dispatch, members of Bourbon Fire who are available to respond to an emergency incident simply press one button on any telephone. Then any Internet connected computer or mobile phone instantly displays who is responding to the incident, their qualifications, and when and where they are responding.
IamResponding.com eliminates time spent guessing about, and waiting for, responders who may not be coming. By pressing one button on virtually any phone, firefighters and dispatchers will immediately know who is responding to an emergency. This simple and fast information provided by IamResponding saves critical time in responding to emergencies.
After receiving an emergency alarm from the 911 office, firefighters dial one toll-free number on their phone. They are immediately connected to an automated telephone system for a call that lasts only seconds.  Firefighters will simply press one button on their phone, and then either drop their phone or hang up.
No one is on the phone while driving, as the call can be completed with nothing more than the press of a single button on their phone, and the call is terminated within just seconds.
On the screen at the station, firefighters, fire officers and dispatchers instantly see who is responding, their level of certification/qualification, the time that they are responding, and where they are responding to. This same information is also viewable on any mobile telephone that has Internet access, such as Blackberries and iPhones.
Bourbon Fire has installed a computer monitor in their truck bay, and they leave logged into this system 24 hours a day. As firefighters arrive at the station, they quickly glance at the screen and see who else is responding to either the station or scene.  They will know whether a full crew is responding, or whether additional personnel will be needed.
If more personnel are needed, a further dispatch can be issued much sooner than under current protocols; thereby, reducing the total response time. If enough members are en route, apparatus assignments can be determined before the firefighters even reach the station.
“Almost every volunteer or combination fire department and agency has encountered situations where an apparatus leaves the station, only to pass other members who are still en route to the station.  With IamResponding, we will know who else is responding, where they are going, and when they will be there.
With this information, we can make informed decisions about whether to wait for others who are still on their way.  In many situations, waiting another 20 or 30 seconds for others that you know are on the way can result in having a more complete, better equipped crew for our emergency response.”
IamResponding.com includes an instant mass-messaging system for enhanced communications within Bourbon Fire, web-based firefighter scheduling, apparatus status tracking, and expiration date tracking.
Bourbon Fire wishes to show appreciation to Sullivan Wal-Mart for the $1,000 donation for the purchase of two monitors. One monitor is to be provided for CENCOM, the 911 center, and one for the Bourbon fire station.