interTRAX® Suite™4.0 Brings Great Changes to CRMCS - What's New?
Recently, CRMCS was upgraded to the newest version of interTRAX® Suite™, 4.0. This update brings many great changes (discussed in this publication).
We will need to upgrade all of your software. Please Contact Midwest Card and ID Solutions so that we can update your software or schedule a time to do so.
You can continue to work as before. Please understand, we have hundreds of upgrades to perform and we may not be able to do your upgrades immediately.
Changes to Templates
The most apparent change with interTRAX® Suite™ 4.0 is the transition from the PDF417 barcode to the QR code. This allows more data storage in a smaller space, faster and easier readability, and compatability with the Salamander App on Android
Card designs have been modified to use clear speak. Where there were one letter ESF identifiers before, we have altered the design to show more text. For instance, F, M, G, L, M, P, and V now show Fire, Health & Med, Gov, Law, Mil, Private, and Vol respectively. This makes it a ton easier to tell who is what without having to whip out the policy.
We have improved our FIPS-201 compliance by removing borders around the picture and color bar and by moving the new QR code to a location which allows for the future addition of a chip.
The card backs have changed only slightly so they can be the same across state lines. These will now be the same in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and we are working this direction in Missouri. We hope to establish this as the standard nationwide or further.
Equipment Cards are Finally Here
The equipment cards are very similar to the personnel cards. Here are some of the key differences. The top image spans the card horizontally. The ESF identifying text is in the color bar. Its qualifications are on the front of the card. As a result, there is no need to print on the back so you get a faster print.
We have unified card designs across FEMA Region 7, so everybody is printing a nearly identical design. This is expanding to more and more jurisdictions.
We have added a 3-tag design to the simple-to-use template installer, which you can get here (no link yet). This lets you print 3 tags at once on special card stock, so you end up with a keychain ID like you grocery store loyalty card or library card. It allows you to use interTRAX in conjunction with your velcro or magnetic passport accountability system.
Avery 5163 and Avery 5199
- Greatly improved look and feel
- Color or Monochrome options
- Includes more valuable data
- Includes printed date
Individual Detail Report
- Now goes field by field along with resourceMGR web™
- Includes much more data
- Includes both Medical and Personnel barcodes
- Includes printed date
Photo Roster
- Uses new QR code
- Includes organization logo
- Includes much more data
- Includes printed date
rapidTAG designs
- All rapidTAG™ designs updated
- Includes Equipment, Personnel, and Company
- Look much nicer/simpler
- Type icon now works on all rapidTAG™ designs
Backwards compatibility
- All devices currently at interTRAX® Suite™ 3.6 or higher can read the new tags
- Few remaining interTRAX® Suite™ 3.5 devices are priority upgrades
- All up-to-date devices will still read previously printed barcode versions
- No reason to reprint until expiration
interTRAX® Suite™ 4.0 Abridged List of Improvements
- Allows joining of incidents at interTRAX exchange adding tons of power and flexibility
- Can now attach deviced seperated by wide areas using the internet, even without Command™
- Can automatically sychronize Mobile express™
- Can manage qualifications in resourceMGR web™
- Switch between resourceMGR web and interTRAX® exchange
- Performance enhancements accross the board
About Comprehensive Resource Management and Credentialing System (CRMCS)
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in partnership with the North Central District Health Department (NCDHD), is preparing to roll out a new comprehensive resource management tool. This tool will allow county emergency managers and emergency response agencies the ability to credential personnel, provide information on availability of assets and personnel during an emergency, the ability to track those assets on scene, and complete incident visibility via the internet. The resource information will be collected and stored in the web based resourceMGR web™ (RMW) / interTRAX® exchange system. Resources in the RMW system will be typed by the FEMA Tier I NIMS standards. Assets that fall outside those standards will be identified and given state specific Tier II types as defined by the subject matter experts in the appropriate discipline / Emergency Support Function (ESF).
Several of the Homeland Security Regions have implemented accountability and credentialing systems in accordance with NIMS, NFPA and the State Strategic Goals for homeland security. RMW builds upon these systems to provide the entire state of Nebraska the opportunity to benefit from the capability.
interTRAX® exchange is a web based tracking system that allows those with appropriate permissions the ability to track, in near real time, the people and assets on scene at an incident. This will provide the opportunity to predict possible needs to effectively manage the incident.
Benefits of CRMCS
1Personnel accountability
2Resource identification
3Resource reliability due to FEMA, NIMS, and State typing standards
4Situational awareness of an incident via InterTrax exchange
5Sharing of the workload by allowing usernames and passwords for individual agencies or organizations to update their own data
6Helps facilitate mutual aid
7Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection
