The North Collier Fire Department (NCFD) in Florida developed a mutually beneficial emergency response system. Using Tablet Command, leadership tailored their solution to meet the needs of their unique region, including:

• A nimble solution with real-time data and tracking capabilities
• Streamlined interdepartmental communication
• Seamless functioning to resolve unanticipated challenges unprecedented scenarios

From brush fires to hurricanes, North Collier needed an incident response and management solutions capable of uniting regional agencies to respond to any hazard. 

The Problem

North Collier Fire works  closely with Collier County EMS, Collier County Sheriff’s Office and surrounding fire agencies, providing extensive mutual aid for the Naples-Marco Island region of Southwest Florida.

A swell of seasonal residents coupled with diverse climate-based hazards has placed outsized stress on the agencies serving this Southwest Florida population. As territories, responsibilities, and incident severity grew, the region's legacy tools could barely keep pace. 

The Mission: Unify Mutual Response

It became clear to NCFD that effectively executing complex, multi-agency responses – like battling rural brush fires or leading hurricane search and rescue – required an incident management system that could support the mounting challenges.

After years of compensating for the limitations of outdated technology, Operations Chief James “Reggie” Hammond advocated for Tablet Command –  the only software solution capable of organizing and commanding unified response for the region.

“Managing emergency events from a dry erase board was just how they got it done –  thank God,” says North Collier Fire Deputy Director of Network Administration, Eric Bocock, “but it was chaos.”

The Solution: Software Tailored to Excel Against Regional Challenges

Through a series of meetings, NCFD and their partners agreed to use one incident command system: Tablet Command. Emerging as the singular solution through an intense communal selection process, the platform’s intuitive interface, powerful tracking capabilities, and features for enhanced situational awareness addressed the region’s set of unique challenges.

Nimble Software with Advanced Real-Time Tracking

To establish and maintain a cohesive interdepartmental response, North Collier recognized Tablet Command’s fully fledged mobile compatibility was mission critical. Their region needed software that could be accessed with either iOS or Android devices.

“We needed something nimble and easy to use,” says Bocock, “So in a larger event where we have out-of-town units coming in, we could hand them a tablet with the cellular connection and be able to track them.”

For NCFD and their regional partners, Tablet Command provides an unprecedented level of assurance for their frontline. With the software loaded onto their devices placed in trucks, responders can quickly share two-way statusing, access GIS maps, and receive real-time updates from remote command.

“When you're fighting a fire or doing the ‘hero stuff,” says Bocock, “Units feel much more confident knowing that there's an overwatch.”

Streamlined Interdepartmental Communication

Since NCFD collaborates with partner agencies to provide mutual aid, the solution must be compatible with surrounding agencies.

To achieve maximum interoperability, the NCFD operations personnel worked directly with the Tablet Command implementation team. Together, they developed specialized code designed to give access to the 911 feed owned by the Sheriff's department.

NCFD Fire Chief Eloy Ricardo was an early adopter and advocate during the implementation process. “As our agency expanded, we needed tools to simplify our response. It became clear that Tablet Command was the only solution. It is the right fit as we continue to scale up to meet the growing needs of our community and approach new challenges with confidence.”

For the first time, the CAD feed and dispatch for the county were integrated into a single platform - Tablet Command so all responding agencies were literally “on the same page.”

Seamless Functioning In the Face of Any Hazard

In addition to the numerous types of responses North Collier and its partner agencies provide, shortly after implementation the department encountered an extraordinarily atypical emergency incident that required them to do the unthinkable – take their systems offline.

For many agencies, an incident of this magnitude might mean disaster. Not for the North Collier Fire. Using their years of experience, problem solving, and the dependability of the Tablet Command software, Deputy Director of Network Administration Eric Bocock was able to regain critical functioning and completely inoculate his region from further threat.

“To get my staff and my IT back operating as fast as we did…” says Deputy Director of Network Administration, Eric Bocock, “Tablet Command is worth it just for the peace of mind.”

Conclusion: An Indispensable Tool Built for Mutual Success

Leading the way, NCFD found a software solution to meet their response and communication needs. After passing a rigorous selection process, Tablet Command now provides the region’s public safety leaders with a peace of mind that only comes from enhanced situational awareness.

When changing command, leadership no longer relies on notes scribbled on a whiteboard.
All mutual aid agencies now use Tablet Command’s dependable network to quickly track and assess developing incidents. And in the face of disaster, Tablet Command has proven to be the department’s most indispensable tool in aiding recovery efforts.

“Tablet Command makes life really easy,” says Bocock.