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Can’t find the right inspection
program? Consider building your own
The handheld PC is not just for computer
geeks — it’s also a valuable tool that fire departments
and other public safety agencies can use for collecting
and managing information. The ability to carry thousands
of inspection records — the equivalent of dozens of
file cabinets — in a gadget that fits in the palm of
your hand is not only convenient, it allows new possibilities
for analyzing data that are virtually impossible with paper
records.
Fire departments likely have questions
about to make a successful transition from traditional paper
files to handheld PCs and electronic records. What units
should we buy? Will people actually use them? How can we
use the data? The biggest puzzle is finding a software application
that fits the requirements of the municipality. The specifics
of local regulations create requirements for collecting
and managing data that cannot be met by off-the-shelf programs.
Few departments can afford an expensive programming effort
traditionally required for a customized solution. However,
non-traditional alternatives can be surprisingly effective,
while keeping within a tight municipal budget.
Thousands of Inspections Annually
One
organization making the switch is the Springfield, Illinois
Fire Department, which is moving to handhelds for its fire
safety inspections. The City of Springfield has about 6,000
commercial buildings and 2000 multi-family dwellings (3
units or more) which are inspected annually for violations
of fire safety codes or city ordinances. If violations are
found, the building or residential unit must be re-inspected
within 30 days.
Captain Michael Putnam is leading the
Fire Department’s transition to computerized inspections.
The new approach uses a Compaq iPAQ handheld running an
inspection program Putnam developed himself with a software
tool called SYWARE
Visual CE. An inspector in the department’s Fire
Safety Division, Putnam has inspected over 300 buildings
and performed over 800 total inspections since spring of
2002 to show the effectiveness of the technology. Starting
January 1, 2003, the city’s eight Fire Safety Inspectors
have begun using handheld PCs running Putnam’s application
for all new fire safety inspections in the city.
The process has proven faster and easier
than traditional paper-based forms, allowing inspectors
to work more efficiently. Once standard information such
as building address, owner and phone number has been tapped
in, it simply has to be verified rather than reentered for
future inspections. This saves time for inspectors and eliminates
errors that can occur when reentering data or trying to
decipher illegible handwriting.
But the new system is about more than
just convenience — it also adds a new dimension for
managing and analyzing information. For example, with all
inspection details on his iPAQ, Putnam doesn’t have
to call the office to have someone look up a file or make
a return trip himself. All fire safety inspections for the
past ten years are stored in 24 four-drawer file cabinets
at department headquarters. Until now, inspectors or clerical
staff had to manually search for inspection reports or to
learn whether an inspection had been done at a particular
location. Sifting through paper records to find needed information
could take hours. It was even worse if documents were mis-filed.
The iPAQ can also store an Excel spreadsheet
containing all code violations of the BOCA Fire Prevention
Code, along with explanations. If a business owner or landlord
has a question, the inspector can immediately access a description
of the violation and explain what it means, rather than
going out to the car for the manual. Another advantage is
flexible, immediate access to inspection details based on
a wide variety of search criteria — by date, address,
type of business, type of violation and any other relevant
categories. As a result, he is now able to obtain information
that was previously impossible or highly impractical because
of the time required to hunt through paper files.
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