New Features

Department Location Selection on Login Screen

• What - Added a department location selection dropdown to the Android login experience, allowing users to confirm or override the server location the application connects to during authentication. Users can now select either United States or Canada directly from the login and add-account screens before signing in. The dropdown automatically pre-selects a server location based on network detection while still allowing manual adjustment when needed. This enhancement improves authentication reliability for users operating behind VPNs, MDM configurations, or region-based network routing scenarios that may otherwise direct traffic to the incorrect server environment.
• Why - This enhancement reduces login failures caused by network routing mismatches and improves the overall sign-in experience for field personnel operating across different regions or managed device environments. Users previously encountered generic authentication errors when traffic was routed through the wrong regional server, often requiring support intervention to diagnose the issue. Providing direct visibility and control over server selection helps users resolve these issues immediately and reduces operational delays during login workflows.
• How
  • Open the Android application login screen.
  • Locate the Select your department’s location dropdown beneath the login fields.
  • Review the automatically detected server location.
  • Select either United States or Canada if a different region is required.
  • Enter login credentials and select Sign In.
  • The selected region is also available during Add Account workflows.
  • FedRAMP environments continue using their existing login behavior without displaying the location selector.
• Use Case - A responder using a department-managed tablet connected through a VPN may be routed through infrastructure in another country, causing authentication attempts to fail against the incorrect server. With the new location selector, the user can manually select the correct regional environment before signing in, allowing successful authentication without requiring support assistance or device reconfiguration.

Feature Enhancements

Password Reveal Support for Login and Session Lock Screens

• What - Enhanced Android login and session lock screens by adding password reveal icons to all password input fields. Users can now temporarily display or hide their entered password using a toggleable eye icon while maintaining automatic password masking when the application moves to the background. The update was implemented across phone, tablet, and landscape layouts to provide a more consistent and accessible authentication experience.
• Why - This enhancement improves usability and reduces login errors caused by mistyped passwords, especially for responders entering credentials in fast-paced or difficult field conditions. The ability to verify password input helps minimize repeated login attempts while maintaining security protections through automatic re-masking when the app is backgrounded.
• How
  • Open the Android login or session lock screen.
  • Enter credentials into the password field.
  • Select the Eye Icon to temporarily reveal the password.
  • Select the icon again to re-hide the password.
  • Passwords automatically return to masked mode if the application moves to the background.
• Use Case - A responder logging into a device while wearing gloves or working in low-visibility conditions can temporarily reveal their password to verify input accuracy before submitting credentials, reducing failed login attempts and improving workflow efficiency in the field.

Updated Support Contact Information in Dev Info Screen

• What - Updated the support email address displayed within the Android Dev Info screen to reflect the current support contact information. The application now displays support@firstdue.com instead of the previous legacy support address.
• Why - This enhancement ensures users have access to accurate support contact information directly within the application, improving communication consistency and aligning the application with current support workflows and branding standards.
• How
  • Navigate to the Dev Info screen within the Android application.
  • Review the displayed support contact information.
  • The updated support email now appears automatically with no additional configuration required.
• Use Case - A user troubleshooting an issue in the field can quickly reference the Dev Info screen and contact the correct support address without relying on outdated documentation or previous communication channels.

Fixes

External URL Access and WebView Navigation Improvements

• What - Fixed multiple Android WebView navigation issues that previously blocked external URLs, video conference links, PDFs, and new-tab content from opening correctly inside the application. External links from areas such as Training Dashboard, EMS Resources, Hydrant Service History, My Inspections, and Pre-Plan attachments now correctly open in either the device’s browser, native applications, or the in-app WebView shell depending on the content type. Additional improvements introduced a multi-layer URL handoff architecture to support external navigation more reliably across all WebView workflows.
• Why - These fixes eliminate “Access Denied” errors and unresponsive navigation behavior that prevented responders from accessing important training sessions, resource links, attached reports, and operational documents directly from the application. Improving external content handling reduces workflow interruptions and ensures users can reliably access incident-related information and collaboration tools when needed.
• How
  • Open supported WebView-based modules such as Training Dashboard, EMS Resources, Hydrant Service History, or Pre-Plan Lists.
  • Select an external link, video conference link, or attached PDF/document.
  • External content automatically opens in the appropriate browser, native app, or in-app WebView experience.
  • No additional user configuration is required.
• Use Case - A responder attending an online training session from within the Training Dashboard can now open Microsoft Teams or Google Meet links directly from the app without receiving “Access Denied” errors. Similarly, personnel reviewing hydrant reports or inspection attachments can immediately access PDF documents without failed or unresponsive navigation behavior.

Shared Device Login and Logout Reliability Improvements

• What - Fixed an issue on shared Android MDT devices where users could receive “Only one user account per department allowed” errors after another user logged out. The logout process was redesigned to fully clear local session data, prevent orphaned account records, and safely recover from interrupted logout workflows. Improvements also added protections against session conflicts, stale authentication states, and failed re-login scenarios across both standard and SSO authentication flows.
• Why - This fix improves reliability for shared and managed responder devices where multiple users may log in and out throughout a shift. Previous failures in the logout process could leave residual account data behind, blocking subsequent users from accessing the application and creating operational delays during active response situations.
• How
  • Log out normally from the Android application.
  • The application now automatically clears account and session data safely before completing logout.
  • Subsequent users can immediately log into the same department on the same device without requiring manual device cleanup.
  • Existing login workflows remain unchanged for end users.
• Use Case - Multiple responders sharing a department-managed MDT during shift changes can now log in sequentially without encountering account lockout errors caused by leftover session information from the previous user, ensuring uninterrupted operational readiness.

GPS Battery Drain Reduction for Hidden Map Views

• What - Fixed an Android battery drain issue where GPS location tracking remained active while map screens were hidden but still loaded in the background. The application now correctly pauses GPS listeners when map views are no longer visible while preserving active tracking and turn-by-turn navigation functionality where required.
• Why - This fix significantly reduces unnecessary battery consumption on responder devices and improves device longevity during operational shifts. Previous behavior caused GPS hardware to continue running even when users navigated away from map-related screens, resulting in elevated battery usage and more frequent device charging requirements.
• How
  • Use the application normally and navigate between map and non-map modules.
  • GPS listeners now automatically pause when map areas are hidden.
  • GPS tracking resumes automatically when returning to visible map workflows.
  • No configuration changes are required.
• Use Case - A responder monitoring dispatches or chat workflows after leaving the map screen will no longer experience excessive battery drain caused by hidden GPS listeners continuing to run in the background, helping devices remain operational throughout extended incidents or shifts.