What is going on now in the field of handheld computing technologies for on-the-spot reports?

We’re in the midst of a huge shift among fire and EMS agencies nationwide to use computers to conduct inspections, gather patient details and file reports. As part of that shift, the newest trend is the emergence of handheld computers, which are perfect for highly mobile public safety officials such as arson investigators and inspectors. Handhelds have been around for a few years in the consumer market, but two major changes are occurring that rapidly will increase their adoption for fire and EMS. The first is the emergence of fully rugged handhelds, which can be used reliably in extreme environments. The second is advancements in usability and technology, so now fire and EMS officials can run the same software and applications in a Windows environment that they’ve been using on a notebook.

This isn’t to say that rugged handheld devices eventually will replace fully rugged notebooks, which will continue to be valuable as vehicle-mounted solutions to map routes and access building information, as well as offering more sophisticated reporting and patient data entry on a tablet PC. But for fire officials that are climbing ladders, inspecting unstable structures and regularly encountering difficult environments where a computer is required, having a rugged, reliable ultra-mobile PC that can fit in their jacket pocket is a highly valuable proposition.

How long before nearly all of the industry is making its fire and EMS reports electronically?

There are a few things that need to come together for e-reporting to gain such widespread adoption. Probably the biggest obstacle to this adoption is funding limitations; a large majority of departments understand the value of rugged computing solutions, but might find it difficult to secure the necessary funding. We have been seeing more grants available to departments from state and federal organizations such as the Department of Homeland Security. Some states are even starting to require e-reporting for all departments and are offering funds to help departments upgrade.

Another factor is the availability of software and other applications designed for fire and EMS agencies. These can make return on investment become much clearer through benefits such as improved efficiency and preventing errors. There are some fantastic applications available today, and we’ll see many more introduced over the coming years as computer adoption grows.

Overall, things are definitely moving in the right direction, and at this rate I could see widespread adoption in five years or so.

What will it cost for a department to convert to handheld technology?

Much of the cost depends on what infrastructure a department already has in place, such as an enterprise back-office solution and wireless capabilities. To realize the full value of their mobile computers, agencies need to do more than just buy the hardware.

But the total cost of ownership, not just the sticker price, should be the most important consideration for an agency weighing its options. In other words, what overall improvements will these computing solutions deliver in terms of increasing accuracy, efficiency, worker performance and satisfaction, resident goodwill and increased billing — and what is that worth to them? Also, what is the value of having computers that won’t fail when facing extreme temperatures, spraying water and other obstacles where standard laptops wouldn’t hold up?

How does handheld computing compare with pen and paper in terms of speed and accuracy?

There are certainly employees who can fill out a form quickly using pen and paper. In a head-to-head speed test, it is possible that you will see little difference. But spread out over time, and in situations with multiple patients on a single scene, handheld computing wins easily. Handheld computing also can mitigate many of the accuracy issues that occur in field reporting. Legibility is not an issue when working on a computer, and error checking can catch problems before they are submitted. E-reporting can prevent repetition in completing multiple forms by auto-filling sections, and employing drop-down menus to minimize typing.

There’s also an opportunity to help departments work smarter by gaining instant access to information on a property such as historical data, pre-planned drawings and hazardous information. Address history also can be accessed, so they can gauge whether it’s prone to false alarms, or if they are dealing with a “frequent flyer.”

Is there a danger that a handheld unit will crash and the data lost?

This is always a worst-case scenario for agencies, but there are plenty of ways to prevent extensive data losses. Departments can choose from many different setups, but the ideal is to put a wireless infrastructure in place so reports can be submitted in realtime and stored on the department’s servers for safekeeping.

This means a handheld’s wireless capabilities, in addition to its overall ruggedness and reliability, plays an important role in preventing these scenarios. Departments need to be thorough when analyzing different vendors for their rugged handhelds or notebooks to ensure they’re up to the task. For example, what is the average failure rate? Which specific Mil-Spec standards does it meet? Which wireless standards does it support?

Does it make sense for fire departments to invest now or wait until more bugs are worked out?

Panasonic has been manufacturing rugged computers from the ground up for 15 years. We entered the ultra-mobile PC market this year because the technology has matured to the point where it can meet our customers’ high standards. This technology will continue to progress over time, but handhelds have certainly reached a level of performance and reliability for departments to get significant value for years to come.

Are handheld devices compatible with other computing technology?

Each handheld device is different, and some do require a regular transfer of data between the handheld and a separate notebook. But now that handhelds are advanced enough to act as full-blown computers, that transfer is increasingly unnecessary. With the U1, data can be transferred using the same methods as any notebook: through wireless signals such as Bluetooth and WiFi, or physical SD cards and USB sticks. For wireless transfers, there are numerous applications that an agency can use to ensure a secure transmission and protect private data.

How much training do users require?

Much of this depends on the comfort level of fire and EMS professionals in each department, but now that some handhelds are running Windows XP and Vista, the learning curve is reduced for most people. The proliferation of consumer handheld devices such as the BlackBerry have also gotten people comfortable with using the smaller QWERTY keyboard and other factors unique to handhelds. For officials who are already comfortable using a notebook on the job, they won’t need to learn how to use new applications as part of a transition.

How will these devices be different in five or 10 years?