The complexity of emergency response continues to grow. Multi-alarm fires, large-scale incidents, and regional mutual aid require coordination that goes beyond maps, whiteboards, or memory. Tablet Command was created to meet this need by giving every responder real-time access to the same critical information.

What is Tablet Command and TC Mobile

Tablet Command is an incident management platform built for fire departments and other public safety agencies. It integrates directly with CAD, staffing systems, and AVL to create a single interface where crews can see incident details, hydrant locations, staffing assignments, and dispatcher notes in real time.

TC Mobile, the companion app, brings much of this functionality to smartphones. Whether in the front or back of the vehicle, responders can view the same information, receive notifications, and update their status in CAD. This ensures that awareness is not limited to one person in the cab, but shared across the entire crew.

Today, Tablet Command supports more than 1,500 agencies and over 50,000 public safety professionals across North America, including departments in Los Angeles County, San Francisco, Denver, Charlotte, and Broward County, Florida.

The Advantages of Tablet Command

• Early Notification and Faster Turnout
  • Crews receive incident notifications 30, 45, or even 60 seconds earlier than traditional alerting, depending on department workflow. That extra time allows firefighters to get out the door faster for structure fires or cardiac arrests.

• Staffing Visibility
  • Tablet Command integrates with multiple staffing systems, showing who is on each unit. This is especially valuable when multiple departments work together under one communication center.

• Shared AVL
  • With Shared Automatic Vehicle Location, responders can see units from neighboring communication centers during mutual or automatic aid incidents. This provides true visibility across agencies and reduces the need for radio traffic to confirm locations.

• Digital Command Board
  • Incident commanders manage resources, assignments, and progress on a digital board that synchronizes in real time. Custom templates and checklists help structure the response, especially for high-risk, low-frequency incidents such as high-rise fires or hazardous materials events.

• Critical Notifications and Acknowledgments
  • Beyond standard alerts, Tablet Command delivers critical notifications that override silent or low-volume settings. Dispatchers can also send acknowledgement prompts for hazards such as downed power lines, reducing the need for radio roll calls and creating a written record.

• Custom Maps and Navigation
  • Departments can update GIS maps with hydrants, boundaries, evacuation zones, and fire trails. Those updates are instantly available in Tablet Command and TC Mobile. Responders can also access turn-by-turn navigation through apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze.

• Incident History and Reporting
  • Every action in Tablet Command is recorded and time-stamped. This simplifies incident reporting, supports after-action reviews, and gives incoming officers an immediate view of what has already been done and what remains.

A Real-World Example

Sacramento Metro and Sacramento City Fire use Tablet Command in a unique way. On a structure fire, a third-due battalion chief begins managing the incident in Tablet Command before arriving. When one of the first two BCs takes command on scene, the digital record provides a seamless handoff.

This approach gives the third and fourth arriving chiefs full visibility if the incident escalates, reducing the time it takes to assess conditions and align with the command structure. It also demonstrates how digital tools can extend awareness beyond the limits of radio traffic alone.

Looking Forward

Tablet Command was built to give responders and commanders a clear view of incident information as it unfolds. By providing early notification, staffing visibility, shared AVL, and synchronized command tools, it reduces uncertainty and increases efficiency for both crews and commanders.

Ready to see how it works for your department? Schedule a demo.

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