Background
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) used magnetic personnel roll boards for many years to record crew and appliance details for use by Incident Controllers.
The roll boards however were difficult to manage due to inaccuracies entered by personnel and the geographical challenges faced by firefighters during bush and grassfire responses with appliances (and their roll boards) spread all over the fire scene.
“Fireground Accountability System T-Card” (or FAST-card) was developed to enhance firefighter safety and operational efficiency; essentially it is an electronic replacement to the existing magnetic roll boards.

Objectives
The primary objective of FAST-card was to provide a modern reliable IT platform to assist Incident Controllers to manage firefighter fireground accountability. 

Methods
FAST-card interfaces with existing MFB business systems such as, its HR database, electronic roster system and Firecom*.
The system provides station access via station computers and remote access via an iPhone application.
When appliances are responded to firecalls FAST-card connects all the relevant crewing information with the call, displaying them together on an incident screen.
* Firecom is an MFB system that monitors the MFB’s Computer Aided Dispatch system

Findings
FAST-card was trialed in September 2013 receiving positive user feedback and was formally implemented operationally in 2014.
FAST-card continues to be enhanced recently being modified to assist in the management of employee Emergency Contact information.

Conclusions
FAST-card has been in place now for nearly 18 months and has streamlined a number of existing processes and provided the organisation with much greater visibility of its people and its resources than ever before.
FAST-card provides Incident Controllers and the MFB District Command Centre (our base for logistical and planning support) with information critical to maintaining crew safety and operational efficiency, its acceptance across our workforce has been swift and seamless.
FAST-card’s future place in MFB operations looks assured.