Actual Schedule
(Shift+Ctrl+A)
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Enter Schedule Exceptions. The Actual Schedule button is disabled when the site does not follow a schedule.
Alarms are handled in the Alarm Dispatch Window. Alarm Dispatch can be accessed from a Site Lookup, Alarm Buffer, or by Auto Feed.
The Alarm Dispatch Window is designed to bring as much information as possible to the operators during dispatch. Multiple 'panes' each display different information, more information can be seen in the fly-outs, and tabs can be selected to switch to other views.
The Alarm Dispatch Window is set to a minimum size and cannot be made smaller. The Alarm Dispatch window cannot be dragged off the screen, the minimum size will always stay on the viewable screen.
The Top Bar of the window displays the Xmit# and Site Name. The Xmit# and Site Name are also displayed in the Status Bar.
The top left pane displays the Local Time for the site, the Dispatch Lock status, and a Link to either Enter/Exit Auto Feed or Manually Lock/Unlock the account. The Local Time is based on the Time Zone assigned to the Site in Site Data Entry. The Central Station time displays in the Status Bar when the Stages™ Option 'Office Time Display' is turned on. The Dispatch Lock status will display 'Locked for Dispatch' when the operator has the account locked, 'Locked by:[Operator]' when another operator has the account locked. Several dispatch features are dependent upon having the account locked. The Dispatch Locked Status can also be 'Not Locked' when no Operator has the account locked. By default, the Enter Auto Feed or Exit Auto Feed link is displayed. If the user's User Role is configured for 'Manual Lock', the User will be able to Lock and Unlock the account instead of entering/exiting Auto Feed.
The 'Site Summary' window displays site information from a variety of sources. More information is available in the fly-out Image. Fields can be moved in or out of the fly-out using the Language Application.
The Site Name and Address is displayed on the top. A hyperlink (Map) is available on the right to open Google Maps focused on the address in a new tab/window. The hyperlink can be suppressed by User Role.
Code Words and Site Group Code Words are displayed on the Site Summary based on a Stages™ Option.
Device Type for the focused Device is displayed based on a Stages™ Option.
The Buttons on the Summary will either open additional site information, or be used for Manual Dispatching processes.
Some of the Dispatch Functions are only available when the Account is locked. Other Buttons appear when the Site is not locked.
Actual Schedule
(Shift+Ctrl+A)
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Enter Schedule Exceptions. The Actual Schedule button is disabled when the site does not follow a schedule.
Follow Up
(Shift+Ctrl+Z)
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Create a follow up for the site. When a follow up is pending, the button image turns red.
Verify Code Word
(Shift+Ctrl+V)
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Verify contact authority. If a Code Word verification is required for this site based on a Site Rule, and the verification has not yet been done, the button image will turn red.
On Test
(Shift+Ctrl+T)
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Place/Clear devices on test. When a test is in effect, the button image turns blue.
Dispatch Email
(Shift+Ctrl+E)
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Send an email to site contacts.
SMS
(Shift+Ctrl+M)
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Send an SMS to site contacts.
Operator Actions
(Shift+Ctrl+O)
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Dispatch alarms.
Action Plan Override
(Shift+Ctrl+P)
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Change to another Action Plan.
Manual Event
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Event Codes are manually entered into site history
Send Memo
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Memos can be sent to a Central Station Department or a Site Group.
Jobs
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Opens the Job window. When a job is active, the button images will turn red.
Report a Problem
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Creates a QA Incident on the Site.
Data Entry
(Shift+Ctrl+D)
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Opens the Site Data Entry window with tabs for Site information (including phones, code words, Site Groups and Agencies),
Contacts, Device, Device Configuration (point information, event coding, action plan assignment), and Schedule.
If there are unsaved changes in the Site Data Entry, a Confirm Exit message will appear when closing the Alarm Dispatch window.
History
(Shift+Ctrl+H)
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Displays History for entire site in a separate window.
Site Notes
(Shift+Ctrl+N)
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Enter/Edit Temporary Site Information
Alarm History
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Event History by Alarm.
Quick Configuration
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Displays the Device Configuration is view only mode.
Alternate Xmit#
(Shift+Ctrl+P)
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Lists a merged history of all devices connected by Alternate Xmit#s. This button only displays when there are Alternate Xmit#s on the site.
Email Report -
Sends a 24 hour Detailed Activity report as an Email
Print Report -
Opens a 24 hour Detailed Activity report in PDF.
Send Message
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Send a Dispatch Message to the operator with the account locked and request Alarm Handoff.
Lock Site
(Shift+Ctrl+K)
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Attempts to lock the account.
There are also shortcut Hot-Keys on the Site Summary pane to move the focus to the different tabs in the Alarm Dispatch window.
All Shortcut Hot-Keys are editable in the Language Application.
The Alarm Dispatch pane lists the Devices associated with the Site. The Status displays 'Normal', 'Alarm', 'Test', 'Rnwy', 'Partial Test'*, 'Partial Rnwy'*, 'OOS' for the Device. When in alarm, the Alarm Time (elapsed from the signal), Priority and Event Codes show. Priorities are assigned colors (default is black). When multiple signals are received on one device, the Highest Priority event code displays. More device information is contained in the flyout at the beginning of the row, such as Device Information, Location and Communication Type.
The Device on the top of the list is the Device that is actively locked by the operator for dispatch. Double clicking on another row will re-focus the Alarm Dispatch window on that Device/Alarm.
If the Devices are arranged in a Primary/Secondary configuration, the Secondary device will be Italicized and Muted in the list. All Events are tied to the Primary Device, and the Secondary device cannot be selected from the list.
Points can be configured to create Separate Alarms when they are tripped. This will add another row in the Alarm Dispatch list to be handled separately from the other alarms on the site.
Closing the Alarm Dispatch window will warn when other devices on the site are still in alarm.
**Devices in Test/Runaway that do not include the ‘All’ option will be indicated with the Status of ‘Partial Test’ or ‘Partial Rnwy’ in the device list. If there are multiple tests, with one ‘All’ and some ‘partial’ tests, the status will show ‘Test’. The text is controlled by Data Source Prompts on the ‘Alarm Dispatch’ window and can be customized with the language application.**
The Recent History tab displays recently logged Event Codes and Operator Actions for the focused device only. Complete site history can be seen by opening the History button from the Summary. New entries will be displayed in blue. On Test/Runaway entries will be gray and italicized. The start of an Alarm# is marked by a red bar, and the start of a day is marked by a black bar. An alarm that is higher priority than the original event is marked by an orange bar. If a alarm and day are started with the same event, it will be marked by a red bar. The amount of entries displayed is set globally in the stages™ Options utility and individually in the Operator Preferences utility. To see more entries, use the Add Rows button to add 12 rows to end of the list. Pressing the Refresh Button in the upper left corner refreshes the list with the most recent entry on the top. More information is available in the flyout. If the event is an Email, SMS or Video, an Email Button, SMS Button, or Video Button displays at the beginning of the row and will open a new window containing the Email Recipients, Subject and Body, the SMS Recipients and Message, or the Video.
Event Codes displayed in the Recent History list can be placed on runaway using the On Test From History button. This will ignore incoming signals for the same event code and point combination for the specified time. In addition, if an event code and point combination occurs a set amount in a set time, the Recent History title bar will display a message for possible runaway. Possible runaway conditions are set in the Stages™ Options utility.
Event Codes and Operator Actions can be excluded from the Recent History list by assigning the SuppressRH Report Code.
The Device Status tab displays the tripped points, off normal points, area status and any expected timer tests. Timer Tests can be scheduled and Off Normal Points can be cleared(Only effects stages™, not the physical device on location).
Recent Changes will show any site information changes made within the last 24 hours. The time, date, and operator id will be included in the changes. All data changes can be seen in the Data Change log opened from Data Entry.
During an alarm, stages™ will call the action plan specified by the event code and/or zone into the Alarm Dispatch window. Structured Dispatch will guide your operators through a step by step dispatch. Structured Dispatch is handled in the upper right of the Alarm Dispatch window. Actions taken during the dispatch will be logged into site history. Structured Dispatches are setup in the Action Plan window (Setup | Alarm Processing Setup | Action Plan).
The Dispatch Action Wizard displays the action plan and the current step to be taken. ‘action plan’ will give the descriptions and notes of the action plan. ‘current step’ will display the current action to be taken and operator directions.
The Step Navigator displays the action plan decision tree. It will expand automatically as the steps of the action plan are completed. It can also be manually expanded or collapsed to view more steps. Double-clicking on a step will bring the Dispatch Action Wizard to that step.
The pane below the Dispatch Action Wizard and the Step Navigator will change throughout Dispatch depending on the type of action called for.
Call - When the step requires a call to be placed, the Dispatch Action Wizard will display the phone number to be called, a Dial button, and a Skip button.
Verfiy - A step including verification will open Verify Code Word in the pane displaying a list of code words and contact names. The flyout displays the code word question if applicable. Depending on the outcome of the verification, pressing the appropriate code word button will proceed to the next step in the action plan.
Call and Verify - A step involving a call and verification will open the Calling pane and the Verify Code Word pane. If contact is not made, enter the call disposition and confirm to proceed. If contact is made, press the code word verification buttons to proceed. If a verification button is pressed, it is assumed that the call disposition is contact made, it is not necessary to enter it.
Decision - A step involving a decision will open the Outcome pane with a list of possible outcomes. Double-click on an outcome to proceed.
Operator Action - A step involving an operator action will open the Operator Action pane. Entering in the operator action and saving will proceed to the next step.
Action Plan Override - To change to an Action Plan for a variation or for another alarm, press the Action Plan Override button on the Site Summary. This will pull up a list of all action plans and variations that could apply to the current alarm(s).
Alternatives - Actions can all be executed without the scripted process if necessary. ‘Dialing’ and ‘Dialing and Verify’ can be activated from the Call List tab. Verify Code Words and Operator Actions can be activated from the Site Summary pane.
Agency phones can be searched or numbers manually entered to dial in the Manual Dial tab. When a call is placed, no other dispatch action can take place until the call disposition has been entered. Manual Dials will log to history the same way as a scripted or call list dial.
The Instructions tab appears if there are instructions entered either on the Site or Device. Instructions from legacy software is converted into stages into a site or device instruction.
User Defined Fields that are flagged in the setup to appear in dispatch and have a value for the site, device, or site group will appear in the UDF tab. If there are no values to display, the tab will not appear.
If a contact is given medical information, the Patients tab appears with the medical information.