Eagle Pass Fire Department Inspections Division Turns to Technology

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014

The Eagle Pass Fire Department’s mission is to make its Inspections department an efficient paperless inspection system through technology.  Technology will facilitate the Fire Department the ability to do paperless inspections.  The Inspections Department will now be using I-Pad devices that will decrease the cost of producing paper reports and will allow easier access to vital information needed by the Fire Department.  This system will give the Fire Department Inspections Division the ability to capture signatures on site and allow the Department to E-mail reports to the business owners whom have been inspected and receive corrective notices.

This new high technology system will give the Fire Department the ability to produce and provide accountability for issuances of permits and access sites, a process not previously available.

This new advancement within the Inspections Department will greatly assist Fire Inspectors to ensure that construction permits are performed according to Fire Code specifications.

The new program will have a centralized data base to track building locations, risk factors, and violations, previously not available.

This new technology will allow the Fire Department Inspections Department the ability to track yearly violations and continuous violations, providing the inspectors the ability to enforce fire codes and communicate with each other to eliminate duplicate inspections.

The new system will enhance billing accuracy and capabilities, including increasing fire fighter safety by having a central data base with local building information such as building layouts, occupant status and classification, utility shutoff locations, fire suppression system information, accessible water supply locations and emergency contact locations as well.

Eagle Pass Fire Chief Jesus Rodriguez stated that the investment was an important one because it will enhance the ability of the Fire Department to assist the community and increase its fire suppression strategies. This new system will increase the overall opportunities to save lives and damages to buildings that sustain fires within the community, said Fire Chief Rodriguez.