Purpose Statement

Groups in First Due enable administrators to organize personnel based on specific skill sets, certifications, or operational roles. This feature streamlines assignment management, communication, scheduling, and shift trading by allowing you to target qualified personnel for specialized tasks and requirements. By creating groups such as paramedics, technical rescue teams, or field training officers, you can ensure that the right personnel with the right qualifications are available for critical assignments and operations.

Background Information

In emergency services, not all personnel have the same certifications or specialized training. Groups provide a systematic way to categorize and manage personnel based on their qualifications, making it easier to:

• Assign qualified personnel to specialized apparatus or positions (e.g., ensuring Engine 1 has a certified paramedic)
• Send targeted communications to specific teams without notifying the entire department
• Filter call shifts to view only personnel with required certifications
• Facilitate shift trades by identifying eligible personnel who meet assignment requirements

Groups are particularly valuable for managing specialized teams like hazmat responders, swift water rescue personnel, paramedics, fire inspectors, or training officers. Once configured, groups can be referenced across multiple modules in First Due, creating a consistent qualification-based staffing framework throughout your agency.

Common Use Cases:

• Creating a paramedic group to ensure ALS-capable units are properly staffed
• Organizing specialized teams (technical rescue, hazmat, dive team)
• Managing field training officers for recruit oversight
• Grouping personnel by apparatus or station assignment
• Categorizing administrative roles (inspectors, investigators, training staff)

Required Permissions

To create and manage Groups in First Due, users must have:

• Access Scheduling
  
• Access Setup
  

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing the Groups Configuration

1. From the First Due dashboard, navigate to Scheduling in the main menu.

2. Click on Setup to access scheduling configuration options.

3. Select Groups from the setup menu to open the Groups management interface.
   

Managing Existing Groups

4. On the Groups page, you can perform the following actions:
   • Reorder groups by clicking and dragging the four-arrow icon next to each group name. This changes the display order throughout the system.
   • Edit an existing group by clicking the pencil icon next to the group you want to modify.
   • Delete a group by clicking the trashcan icon. Note: Deleting a group removes it from all assignments, messages, and filters where it was previously used.
     

Creating a New Group

5. Click the Add Group button to begin creating a new group.
   

5. Enter a descriptive Group Name that clearly identifies the qualification or team (e.g., "Paramedics," "Technical Rescue Team," "Field Training Officers").

6. Enter a Short Code for the group. This abbreviated identifier appears in condensed views and reports (e.g., "PM" for Paramedics, "TRT" for Technical Rescue Team).
   

7. Determine if you want to Show on Shift Board. This will allow the Group Short Code to appear behind the individual's name on the Shift Board.

8. Select a Color to visually distinguish this group throughout First Due. Choose colors that are easily differentiated from existing groups and provide good contrast for readability.
   

Adding Personnel to the Group

9. Click Manage Users to open the personnel selection interface.

10. From the available personnel list on the left, select the individuals who possess the required certification or qualification for this group.

11. Click the right arrow button to move selected personnel into the group membership list on the right.

12. To remove personnel from the group, select them in the right-side list and click the left arrow button.
    

9. Click Save to confirm the group membership selections.
   

Finalizing the Group

14. Review all group settings (name, short code, color, and members) to ensure accuracy.

15. Click Save to create the group and make it available throughout First Due for assignments, messaging, filtering, and shift trades.
    

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Best Practices

Group Design and Organization:

• Create groups based on certifications, qualifications, or operational specializations rather than informal teams
• Use clear, standardized naming conventions that align with your agency's terminology (e.g., "EMT-Basic," "EMT-Paramedic" rather than informal names)
• Limit the number of groups to avoid overwhelming users with too many categories
• Keep short codes consistent and intuitive (2-4 characters is ideal)

Color Selection:

• Choose colors that provide strong visual contrast for easy identification
• Use consistent color schemes (e.g., all medical certifications in shades of blue, rescue specialties in shades of red)
• Avoid colors that are too similar to existing groups
• Consider color-blind accessibility when selecting your palette

Group Membership Management:

• Regularly audit group memberships to ensure personnel certifications are current
• Remove personnel from groups when certifications expire or personnel transfer
• Document the qualification criteria for each group for future reference
• Coordinate group management with your training division to maintain accuracy

Operational Integration:

• Link groups to specific assignments that require those qualifications (e.g., Engine 1 requires a Paramedic group member)
• Use groups for targeted messaging about training, recertification, or specialized incidents
• Filter call shift reports by group to analyze utilization of specialized personnel
• Leverage groups in shift trade settings to ensure qualified replacements

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Don't create overlapping groups with unclear distinctions (e.g., separate "Paramedic" and "Advanced Paramedic" groups without clear criteria)
• Avoid using groups for temporary teams or one-time events (use other messaging features instead)
• Don't forget to update group membership when personnel gain new certifications
• Resist creating too many highly specific groups that fragment your personnel unnecessarily

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: I deleted a group by accident. How do I restore it?

A: Unfortunately, deleted groups cannot be restored. You'll need to recreate the group with the same settings and re-add all personnel. Consider implementing a policy requiring confirmation before deleting groups to prevent accidental deletions.

Q: Can personnel belong to multiple groups simultaneously?

A: Yes, personnel can be members of multiple groups. This is common for personnel with multiple certifications (e.g., someone could be in both "Paramedics" and "Field Training Officers" groups).

Q: How do I know which groups are being used for specific assignments?

A: Review your Assignment configurations in the Scheduling > Setup menu. Assignments will display any group requirements that have been configured for staffing purposes.

Q: The group color I want is already being used. Can two groups share the same color?

A: While the system allows duplicate colors, it's not recommended as it reduces visual clarity. Choose an alternative color or adjust the shade to maintain distinct visual identification.

Q: Can I bulk-update group memberships when multiple personnel earn the same certification?

A: Yes, use the Manage Users interface to select multiple personnel at once and add them to the group simultaneously using the right arrow button.

Q: How do groups interact with the mobile app for field personnel?

A: Field personnel using the First Due mobile app can view which groups they belong to in their profile. Groups also determine which targeted messages they receive and which shift trades they're eligible to accept.