Purpose Statement

The App Settings menu in the First Due Android Mobile Response app allows individual users to configure how the app handles dispatch alerts, notifications, incident visibility, map behavior, offline data, status functions, and location sharing.

These settings allow users to customize Mobile Response based on their operational needs and device preferences.

Background Information

App Settings are accessed directly from the menu within the Android Mobile Response app.

Available settings are organized into several areas, including:

• Alerts and notifications
• Dispatch behavior
• General app and map settings
• Offline map settings
• Station status and routing options
• Firefighter location sharing

Some settings are dependent on features configured by the department. For example, Default Station, Auto In Route to Call, and Share My Location are only available when the department uses incident status buttons and firefighter tracking.

Required Permissions

Specific First Due user permissions required to access or modify the Android Mobile Response App Settings could not be verified from the available information.

Some options described in this article are dependent on department-level configurations and integrations, including CAD functionality, incident status buttons, and firefighter tracking.

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Step-by-Step Guide

1. Access App Settings

• Open the First Due Mobile Response app.
• Navigate to the Menu.
• Scroll down and select App Settings.

2. Configure the Alert Ringtone

The Alert Ringtone setting determines the tone used for dispatch alerts.

• Navigate to the Alerts section & Select Alert Ringtone.

• Choose Apply to All to use the same ringtone for all dispatches, or disable this option to configure different tones based on incident type.

• To configure a specific incident type, tap the desired dispatch incident type.

• Select a ringtone from the available options. A sample plays when a ringtone is selected.
• After making your selection, select the Back button to save it.

3. Configure Notifications

The Notifications setting allows users to enable or disable Mobile Response notifications.

• Locate Notifications & Toggle notifications off to disable them.

• To temporarily disable notifications, choose Select Date 

• Then specify the date and time when notifications should automatically be reenabled.

• To manually turn notifications back on, toggle the setting to the On position.

4. Configure Always Play Sound

Always Play Sound determines when alert tones are allowed to play.

• When enabled, alert tones play whether the app is open or closed.
• When disabled, alert tones only play when the app is not active.

Configure this setting based on when you want Mobile Response alert tones to be audible.

5. Adjust Notification Volume

Use Notifications Volume to select the desired volume for notifications generated by the First Due app.

Adjust the volume to an appropriate level for your operational environment.

6. Configure Repeat Alerts

Repeat Alerts determines whether an alert repeats until the associated incident is opened or acknowledged.

• When enabled, the alert repeats every minute until the incident is opened or acknowledged.
• When disabled, the alert sounds only once.

7. Configure Critical Alerts

Enable Critical Alerts to allow First Due to override the device's Do Not Disturb settings.

8. Configure Dispatch Persistent Time

Dispatch Persistent Time controls how long incidents remain visible on the incident list.

• Navigate to the Dispatch section.
• Locate Dispatch Persistent Time.
• If the setting is disabled, incidents automatically drop off the incident list after 24 hours, regardless of whether the incident has been cleared, closed, or remains open.
• Enable the setting to define how long an incident remains visible when it is still open.
• Select the desired duration. Available options range from 1 day, which is the default, up to 1 month.

This setting can be useful for departments handling long-duration incidents because open incidents can remain accessible from the incident screen for a longer period.

9. Configure Open on Incident List

Open on Incident List determines the default screen displayed when entering the app.

• When enabled, the app opens to the Incident List.
• When disabled, the app opens to the Map view.

10. Configure Show Closed Dispatches on Incident List

Show Closed Dispatches on Incident List determines whether closed incidents remain visible.

• When disabled, closed incidents are removed from the incident list when this functionality is supported by the department's CAD connection.
• When enabled, closed incidents remain displayed according to the configured Dispatch Persistent Time.

11. Configure Show All Incidents on Map

Show All Incidents on Map controls which incidents are displayed on the map.

• When enabled, all incidents from the incident list appear on the map with their corresponding incident icons.
• When disabled, only alerted incidents appear on the map.

12. Configure Screen Timeout

Navigate to the General section and use Screen Timeout to extend the device's normal timeout period while Mobile Response is active.

The configured Mobile Response timeout is added to the device's existing auto-lock period.

For example, if the device is configured to auto-lock after 10 minutes and Mobile Response's Screen Timeout is set to 5 minutes, the device will lock after 15 minutes of inactivity.

13. Configure Zoom Level Settings

Zoom Level Settings determine when different map items become visible as the user zooms into the map.

The available icons control the visibility of:

• Hydrant icon: Hydrants  

• Bell icon: Incidents

• Map icon: Pre-plan items such as Knox Boxes, alarm panels, annotations, drawings, and text

• Location icon 1: Primary addresses

• Location icon 2: Secondary or child addresses

To configure visibility:

• Open Zoom Level Settings.
• Drag each icon to the desired visibility level.
• Items become visible at the selected zoom level and remain visible at closer zoom levels.

14. Configure Always Show Dispatches

Enable Always Show Dispatches when dispatch incidents should always appear on the map.

When this setting is enabled:

• The bell icon is removed from the Zoom Level Settings because dispatches are always displayed.
• The Default Dispatch Centering Level setting becomes available.
• Select a default map zoom level for dispatches. Available options range from Street View to Region.

15. Adjust Icon Size

Use Icon Size to adjust the size of pre-plan icons and hydrant markers displayed on the map.

Choose a size that provides sufficient visibility without unnecessarily obscuring other map information.

16. Configure Auto Centering

Auto Centering determines how frequently the map automatically recenters on the user's location.

It is recommended that Auto Centering remain set to Manual.

When an automatic interval is configured, the map recenters on the user's location after the specified amount of time. This may cause confusion if a user is actively searching or viewing another area of the map during emergency operations.

17. Configure Offline Map Settings

Offline Map Settings allow users to download information for use when cellular data is unavailable.

Users can download street maps for:

• Their jurisdiction
• Data-sharing partners

Client data can also be made available offline, including:

• Occupancies
• Hydrants
• Pre-plans
• Regional pre-plans

Downloading this information helps maintain access to operational data when cellular connectivity is unavailable.

18. Configure the Default Station

Default Station allows the user to specify a station for use with the To Station status.

• Select Default Station.
• Choose the desired station.

If a default station is not selected, the user is prompted to select a station when changing to the To Station status.

19. Configure Auto In Route to Call

Auto In Route to Call controls whether routing information automatically appears when the user selects the To Scene status.

• When enabled, route calculation automatically displays after selecting To Scene.
• When disabled, the user must select Route to Call to display routing information.

20. Configure Share My Location

Share My Location controls firefighter tracking for the individual user.

• Enable Share My Location to permit location sharing.
• Select how long the user's location should be shared with First Due after changing status to To Station or To Scene.
• Disable Share My Location when location sharing is not desired.

Location sharing through this setting occurs at the individual user's discretion.

Best Practices

• Select alert tones that are easily recognizable during emergency operations.
• Use temporary notification disabling when alerts only need to be silenced for a specific period instead of permanently disabling notifications.
• Confirm notification volume is appropriate for the user's working environment.
• Consider enabling Repeat Alerts when users need recurring notification of an incident until it is opened or acknowledged.
• Configure Dispatch Persistent Time based on the department's typical incident duration. Departments handling extended incidents may benefit from longer persistence periods.
• Configure map zoom levels so operationally important information appears without overcrowding the map.
• Keep primary addresses more visible than secondary or child addresses.
• Consider leaving Auto Centering set to Manual to prevent the map from unexpectedly recentering while personnel are reviewing another location during emergency operations.
• Download offline maps and applicable client data before they are needed so information remains accessible during a loss of cellular connectivity.
• Review location-sharing preferences before using firefighter tracking and incident status functionality.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q. Why did an incident disappear from my incident list after 24 hours?
A. Check the Dispatch Persistent Time setting. When it is disabled, incidents automatically drop off the incident list after 24 hours regardless of whether they have been cleared, closed, or remain open.

Q. Why are closed incidents still appearing on my incident list?
A. Verify the Show Closed Dispatches on Incident List setting. When enabled, closed incidents remain visible according to the configured Dispatch Persistent Time.

Q. Why are closed incidents not automatically being removed?
A. Automatic removal of closed incidents depends on support from the department's CAD connection.

Q. Why does Mobile Response open to the map instead of the incident list?
A. Check Open on Incident List. When this setting is disabled, Mobile Response opens to the map instead of the incident list.

Q. Why don't I see every incident on the map?
A. Check Show All Incidents on Map. When disabled, only alerted incidents appear. Enable the setting to display all incidents from the incident list on the map.

Q. Why did the incident visibility icon disappear from Zoom Level Settings?
A. If Always Show Dispatches is enabled, the bell icon is removed because dispatches are configured to always display on the map.

Q. Why can't I move secondary addresses to a higher visibility level than primary addresses?
A. Primary addresses must maintain greater visibility than secondary addresses. If the secondary address level is moved above the primary address level, it automatically returns to the same level as the primary address.

Q. Why does my map keep returning to my current location?
A. Check the Auto Centering setting. If an automatic interval is configured, Mobile Response recenters the map on your location after that interval. Setting Auto Centering to Manual prevents this automatic behavior.

Q. How can I continue viewing map and pre-plan information without cellular service?
A. Use Offline Map Settings to download street maps and applicable client data before connectivity is lost.

Q. Why don't I see Default Station, Auto In Route to Call, or Share My Location?
A. These settings are only available when the department is utilizing incident status buttons and firefighter tracking.

Q. Why isn't routing automatically appearing when I select To Scene?
A, Check Auto In Route to Call. When disabled, you must manually select Route to Call to display routing information.

Q. Can I disable notifications temporarily instead of turning them off indefinitely?
A. Yes. After disabling notifications, use Select Date to specify a date and time when notifications should automatically be reenabled.