Can you describe your goals to modernize Texas City Fire Department?  

Yes, absolutely. Modernization is always something that the fire service strives for, but it needs to have the right software system. Sometimes, keeping processes the same feels easier than adopting change and modernizing your department with software.  

As technology advances, we must also be open to change. Without all-in-one software, you have endless paper trails, outdated data, duplicate data entry in spreadsheets, and everything else. It's the old caveat of going paperless. The question is, can departments get to a point where they eventually transition to hundred percent electronic and move away from traditional processes?  

Like every fire department in the business, we're going through a lot of growth. I've been here for 16 years, and we're about to finish our fourth station and will be looking at beginning to build our fifth station in the near future. As we get tasked with more and more assignments and responsibilities, we want to do everything we can to make us more efficient. We recognize that we are responsible to the community to set goals, be a better department, and provide better services. We had to centralize all our processes and documentation in one piece of software to achieve our goals. First Due is the only software that has proven to facilitate that goal.  

The great thing about First Due is their attention and consideration of the details that make departments unique. If we need to address something or want to do it, they always look into options to help us solve problems and streamline our processes.  

Can you walk me through where your journey started with First Due and what stood out to you most when working with us?  

Over the years, we've used multiple software platforms to manage our department daily. We were looking for a solution to serve every area of our operation and help us consolidate into one suite. The other Chief Officers and I were relentlessly pursuing something that would work for us and could do everything. Ultimately, we aimed to find software to manage 100% of our department, so we decided to go with First Due.    

First Due has an opportunity to transform the fire service industry and address the need for operation modernization. Throughout this process, we've communicated positively with everyone at First Due. The whole team listens to what we need as an organization. They understand that we have our way of doing things. They have taken the time to understand how our department works.

Has First Due helped bridge the gap between scheduling, compliance, and filling staffing gaps?  

Like most departments, our scheduling needs are unique. We have to abide by FLSA rules, state rules, and Collective Bargaining Agreements. So all of these rules and codes had to be implemented within our scheduling system. Before using First Due, we had different software to handle things like overtime, trade times, etc. It would take me a couple of hours to get everything lined out when doing staffing. Now it takes me about 10 minutes. First Due makes staffing way easier while having everything under one roof.  

The Battalion Chiefs and Captains can produce schedules, post changes, and make placements over a week in advance. Our personnel love it because they can look at their phone and know exactly where they're going. So, it's beneficial for us and saves us hours.  

Before First Due, we were really limited to a 24 hour picture of the future. The reason is that we are always running on spreadsheets, which are only as good as the last printout. So if there were any schedule changes, we had to reprint the schedule and assignments. The best thing about First Due is that it provides a real-time staffing picture. In addition, it gives you a clear picture that enables Chiefs to plan and personnel to have a clear picture of their schedules and assignments.  

How do you anticipate First Due facilitating your holistic approach to providing better service to the community and ultimately maintaining a low ISO score?  

Now that we are managing personnel and scheduling on First Due, we are fine-tuning some details and continuing to learn the ins and outs of the software. We're already in the early phases of setting up training, and our biggest goal is to transition the program to encompass industry standards such as  ISO requirements, NFPA recommendations, and industry recognized best practices. In addition, we're taking a holistic approach to modernize and improve our department that by nature will improve our ISO score. We want to provide the best services to our community and grow accordingly.

Do you have any advice for chiefs to modernize their operation and embrace technology?  

One of the main focus points I had and communicated when we began this process is having an understanding that for us to move forward, we must embrace change.  I think the biggest challenge, and most crucial aspect, is for Chief Officers to keep people open-minded. Change is the hardest part. You can have the most outstanding software, but your efforts to modernize will only succeed if you're willing to change with the times. So, we were very open to change as a team when we started this process.