State Fire Marshal Common Fire Department Database

Client: Office of the State Fire Marshal

The Common Fire Department Database was conceived as an adjunct to the existing PS&E system to take advantage of the current database technology, structure, and integration needs. This initiative included:

• Designing a new data model
• Standardizing and converting the existing data
• Developing the user interface for fire department updates
• Developing standard outputs, setting up security
• Developing user interfaces for roster updates
• Implementing statistical reports

An MSF&W team developed this system for the OSFM. The four main components to the new application are: Administration, Maintenance, Inquiry and Reporting, and Interfaces. The PS&E client-server application provided the basis for both the Administration and Maintenance components of the new application. The Inquiry and Reporting portion was implemented as an ASP .NET web-based application. The application interfaces were dependent on the external systems which were required to be integrated. Security was developed and required for screens and menus within the PowerBuilder application to restrict access for data entry and maintenance. The security was based on MS Active Directory log-in ids.

Testing was conducted on each of the components developed and focused on data integrity, performance, and usability. Training was conducted to ensure that staff understood and could use the Common Fire Department Database. The new environment for the Common Fire Department Database is ASP .NET and SQL Server 2005.