NFIRS 5 Alive is not a fire department RMS package. Instead NFIRS 5 Alive works with your existing RMS and CAD systems to quickly load and analyze your raw response data. It's entire design is dedicated to quality response analysis.
NFIRS 5 Alive Focuses on Analysis
Have you ever wished your records management package could provide you with better analysis? The problem may not be a simple lack of reporting features. Fire department records management systems (RMS) have three inherent disadvantages when it comes to analysis, 1.) data structure, 2.) privacy and 3.) portability.
Data Structure
In order to store data efficiently records management systems use "normalized" data structures. Normalized data structures keep file sizes to a minimum by storing data items once. A data item like "Address", for example, is typically stored once in the Incidents table.
Since NFIRS 5 Alive focuses exclusively on analysis it takes a different approach. NFIRS 5 Alive utilizes a "denormalized" data structure which stores key data items repeatedly as necessary for efficient analysis. In NFIRS 5 Alive the "Address" field, for example, is stored in the Incidents, Apparatus, Patients and Responders tables. While this does increase file size, it dramatically enhances analysis capability. When it's time to create a report you don't have to travel between tables to locate key data items.
Privacy
Another disadvantage records management systems have is privacy. Public data, like incident types, property types and response times, is stored with sensitive private data, like patient names, medical histories and personnel records. When sensitive data is involved privacy concerns often restrict creative report formatting and analysis.
NFIRS 5 Alive is loaded only with the public data transactions produced by every NFIRS 5 software product. Security concerns are minimized because no sensitive data is involved. NFIRS 5 Alive can be operated on a fire officer's laptop computer and taken home without the worry of compromising sensitive department information.
Portability
The third problem with fire department records management systems is the lack of portability. If your only analysis capability is permanently tied to the latest version of your RMS software you cannot analyze historical records from other software vendors or older incident reporting standards.
In addition, record management systems are generally network-based. The same network that provides connectivity within the fire department makes access to operational data nearly impossible outside the fire department.
NFIRS 5 Alive is a single-user system that's as portable as the PC you use to operate it. It's not tied to a network. Take NFIRS 5 Alive anywhere it's needed. Work at home or make a presentation at a community center. Analyze incidents from different vendors and different reporting standards. Load new incidents from any location with Internet access. NFIRS 5 Alive provides flexible analysis and presentation capabilities you can carry with you.
