New World Systems CAD
  • Chadwick W.Chadwick W.
    Anyone using New World Systems CAD software in dispatch?  We are using it and I'm specifically looking to get help on integrating GPS from CAD so we can use that data instead of a Google Maps lookup on address.  Google is not very good with our district since we have lots of new streets that have not been mapped by Google yet.

    Thanks,
    Chad
  • Michael E.Michael E.
    I have found that apple maps is sometimes better at finding some locations vs google. Have you tried it?

    Using the newer NWS .net CAD I think in order for us to get cord the dispatchers would have to mark the call with cord. Although we do get them on our rip and runs for non-addressed calls (freeway)..

    Do you have any non-smartphone users? Cords will be pretty useless to them... Might be easier to get Google to add your streets LOL
  • Chadwick W.Chadwick W.
    We did just complete the upgrade to .net.  Our Ops Chief is not allowing us to use Active911 as a routing tool since it is not "public safety rated."  What he means by this is the address mapping has not been verified to be accurate.  Our GIS database is considered accurate but Google Maps is not (or Apple Maps or anyone other than GIS).

    So, in order for me to get the blessing on using this for actual addressing, I need to have the GPS coordinates sent from dispatch for the address since they have all our streets and houses and Google does not.  However, getting that to happen has been a challenge.  I'm am having to fight a behind the scenes quiet battle so the more information I come to the table with when I make my requests, the better.  

    In terms of Google vs Apple mapping, it is my understanding that when a call comes in to A91 without GPS coordinates, A91 uses Google to lookup that address and then embeds the GPS into the alert that goes to the phones, right?  That way, a single call with 100 firefighters getting it results in 1 Google lookup, not 100.  For those using Apple Maps, the GPS embedded in the call from A91 is used to place the dot on the map for Apple.  Am I correct with this or is every device doing an address lookup?
  • A911 TylerA911 Tyler
    Every device is doing an address lookup. With our Google contract, we can only use the Google geocoded coordinates on Google maps.

    Your county can submit its maps to Google and have them update Google Maps for your county. Also, anyone with a Google account can use Google Map Maker to make corrections to or add things to Google Maps. Once submitted, it just needs another person to approve the review.

    Active911, Inc
    support@active911.com
    https://www.active911.com/Contact
  • Chadwick W.Chadwick W.
    I do keep updating Google Maps using map maker.  However, I find that despite the fact I am making corrections using official town maps, Google rejects about half of my changes.  It's very frustrating to know you are making the correct change and someone in another country is rejecting those changes.

    Is there an FAQ on how a county or a town can submit maps to Google?  

    The other tough part is you don't really know Google Maps (or any other map) is wrong until you are dispatched to an address that gets mapped incorrectly.
  • Michelle K.Michelle K.
    Chad, what version of NWS CAD.net are you running? We have the newest version SP 10.2. You can email me offlist if you have any specific questions. kattm AT baycounty DOT net.
  • Ian C.Ian C.
    I'm using NWS 9.0.3740 and have our info working well by supplying our Lat/Long to Active 911.  If I can try to be assistance, you can e-mail me at 250 at gtpd dot org.
  • Cpt8houseCpt8house
    Chad, We use NWS Cad and have some of the same issues with google maps and apple maps. I set Active 911's "Override mapping with GPS coords from your dispatch center?"  to yes. With this change the mapping on both Google and Apple is much improved. Not perfect but much better.
    Chief Hardeeville Fire Department
  • Eric W.Eric W.
    2 calls that we have had this week have had INCORRECT mapping to them.  Luckily I asked for cross streets with dispatch just to confirm, and sure enough, the map on Active911 was wrong.  One of the streets was on the entire opposite end of our response area that the mapping showed on Active 911, so I do not trust the mapping feature which is unfortunate, because it would be a great feature if it could be trusted.  It's too late now, most likely i will not trust it from now on.
  • A911 TylerA911 Tyler
    Eric, your department is not activated yet, meaning we do not have custom code written specifically for your dispatch center's format. There is a warning on the account that says "Call mapping and details will not work right." We don't know what is not mapping correct unless you tell us and we fix it. We cannot write code for your dispatch center because they do not send us the calls in the same format each time. One call it looks like this:
    TRANSFORMER FIRE
    123 WASHINGTON RD

    and the later it looks like this:

    6789 FIRST ST
    FIRE ALARM
    LIVING ROOM SMOKE DETECTOR
    From a quick glance at your account, your dispatch center is sending us very little information. We do not even get a zip code or city. This means that if you want us to map to Main Street but have several within a 30 mile radius of your department, we do not know which one is the right one.

    To improve your mapping, we need either coordinates or more information like the city or zip code. Our mapping is only as good as the information we are getting from your dispatch center. If you call up or submit an online tech support ticket with the Active911#s for those calls, we can tell you exactly why they did not map correctly and how that can be fixed.

    If you have time today, give me a call or just email me those numbers. I tackle a lot of the mapping issues, and I like the feedback. It is very helpful in pinpointing problematic areas.
    Active911, Inc
    support@active911.com
    https://www.active911.com/Contact
  • Chadwick W.Chadwick W.
    Re-opening this thread...

    For those out there using NWS CAD.NET and SNPP paging, what did you do to make it work? We just switched from SNMP to SNPP after the county mail server had some problems. As soon as we made the switch to SNPP, calls to Active911 stopped working properly. Most of the data in the page from CAD is missing to Active911, however, the same exact SNPP message goes to our alpha pager company and those pagers get all the info.

    Our CAD specifics are: New World System CAD.NET (enterprise) version 10.2

    What did you do on your end (or convince Active911 to do) to get SNPP working properly? This is affecting about a dozen agencies right now so I want to get it fixed. Active911 tech support is pointing to us as the problem so I need some more info...

    Thanks. Feel free to email me direct at: chad AT wachs DOT org

    Chad
  • RonRon
    I am also a little confused. Our alarm center uses NWS and their IT guy is confused as to what they have to send to Active911. I told him just to send the call information to the email given and they would put it all together and build a special parser or whatever if needed. Is this correct or is there a special way our calls need to be generated to send to Active911?

    Cheers
  • Joseph S.Joseph S.
    You can put them together in whatever format you have, Active911 will write a parser for you.

    Chad's problem is due to the fact that his SNPP session is sending the MESG command (which indicates a one line message) but that one line includes <LF> characters.  We had been detecting <LF> and using it as end-of-command.

    The SNPP spec is a little vague on this point, but we updated the SNPP system to require <CRLF> and not just <LF> for end-of-command.  This fixed the problem with NWS but broke another agency.

    We're still trying to figure out what path to take since there seem to be multiple conflicting standards.

    In any case, if your SNPP implementation uses DATA for multiline and MESG for single line, you should be safe. :)
  • Rigoberto M.Rigoberto M.
    We just switched from Intergraph CAD to New World Systems 10.2E SP2. How did you get Active911 to work with NWS and SNPP? or is there a different route? Did you need to get NWS involved?



    Thanks
  • Chadwick W.Chadwick W.
    We did not get NWS involved. The IT department already had a number of SNPP routes built in the system and configuring it for SNPP with Active911 was done by working with Active911 support.  There were a couple parsing issues early on but Active911 support got those sorted out and everything has been working great for a few months now.
  • kwattskwatts
    we did a New World update this week and now all of my guys are getting 2 active 911 pages for every call. Any idea how I can stop this and what has happen?
  • Jeff D.Jeff D.
    Our PSAP IT person is looking for the area within the New World Systems version 10 MSP CAD software configuration settings to insert our agencies active 911 alert email string. Would any agencies using active 911 with New World Systems CAD be able to share that information?

    Thank You
  • Derrick W.Derrick W.
    Jeff, did you ever get an answer on this? I'm looking for the same thing. 
  • Jeff D.Jeff D.
    Yes I had to purchase paging software from Tyler new world which allowed for the setup of agency, call types and other data fields from the cad software and allowed for the data string to be sent via smtp format to our active911 alert email address
  • Michael W. H.Michael W. H.
    Jeff D.
    Approximately what did that cost?
  • Jeff D.Jeff D.
    The software component was $8,000 and install was $5,000
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