Ensuring a fire department is fully-staffed is essential for matters of both the firefighters' and public safety. This is especially true for departments located in large cities where multiple calls may be received throughout the course of a shift. Fire department scheduling software is necessary for managing firefighters and their various shifts, as these days, a hand-written schedule just may not cut it.
Here are some useful features scheduling software should contain to benefit fire departments.
User-friendly interface
Rather than a hand-written schedule that can become illegible with shift changes and the like, using fire department scheduling software can make scheduling easier and more organized. It can provide a user-friendly visual interface so the captain or team member responsible for scheduling shifts can easily see whether enough people have been scheduled on any given day. When a gap is apparent in the calendar, a visual cue is given so the scheduler doesn't accidentally overlook an issue.
Easy shift and threshold creation
The ability to create and manage shifts is a must for any kind of scheduling software. Custom shift creation allows a fire department to tailor shifts to its specific needs rather than forcing it to adhere to shifts pre-set by the solution. The additional capability of setting staffing thresholds allows the scheduler to set the minimum and the ideal number of team members to be scheduled per individual shift. These customized thresholds provide the conditions wherefore the visual cues are given to indicate any present scheduling gaps.
Shift override capabilities
What happens when a firefighter is out sick or cannot otherwise make it to work? This causes a reduction in the number of firefighters available to respond to fires and medical emergencies. As well, the staffing threshold may also be affected. Fire department scheduling software can be used to easily ensure that at least the minimum shift threshold continues to be met. Also, with the software, the scheduler can override the ill firefighter's shift and either leave it uncovered or replace them with another team member to maintain the threshold. Shift changes can be more difficult and messy with a handwritten schedule, with multiple members scratching out and replacing names.
Export a schedule
Maybe a firefighter likes an old-school paper copy schedule they can put on their fridge instead of logging in every time they want to see when they work next. With the fire department scheduling software, they have the ability to export a calendar with all their shifts as a file and print it out for their own use. This way, all team members can be accommodated by being able to access their schedule in the way they prefer.
Looking for fire department scheduling software?
If your fire department is on the hunt for a new scheduling tool, SimplyCast has you covered. With all the features listed above, our OnCall scheduling and shift management tool can meet your department's scheduling needs. Contact us today if you would like to learn more about OnCall and all the other services SimplyCast can offer your fire department.
