When a 911 call comes in, every second counts. In many Massachusetts municipalities, the police department handles dispatching not just for law enforcement, but also for fire and EMS units. But when these departments rely on separate software systems that don’t talk to each other, critical information can slip through the cracks.
That’s where integrated CAD systems come in—offering seamless communication and real-time data sharing that transforms response workflows across agencies.
The Dispatch Reality in Massachusetts
Across the Commonwealth, it’s common for towns and cities to operate centralized public safety dispatch centers through their police departments. When an incident occurs, dispatchers are responsible for notifying police officers, firefighters, and ambulance personnel—often across multiple agencies and jurisdictions.
However, fire and EMS units often operate their own records systems, which are selected independently from police RMS or CAD platforms for Massachusetts. This creates operational silos, where CAD data must be manually re-entered into Fire RMS or EMS ePCR software after the fact.
The result? Duplicated effort, miscommunication, and delays in documentation—especially frustrating in high-pressure environments where speed and clarity are vital.
Why CAD Integration Matters
A fully integrated CAD system bridges these gaps by automatically sending dispatch information to the third-party software systems used by EMS and fire departments. This kind of integration:
- Eliminates duplicate data entry, saving time and reducing errors.
- Ensures responders receive accurate, real-time call details in their native system.
- Improves coordination and response times, especially in complex multi-agency incidents.
- Streamlines compliance reporting for systems like NFIRS (fire) and NEMSIS (EMS).
For agencies striving to do more with less, Fire and EMS CAD integration isn’t a luxury—it’s essential to improving safety, efficiency, and interagency collaboration.
Vendors That Matter
The good news? ARMS CAD is already compatible with the leading systems used by Massachusetts municipalities.
For EMS (ePCR Systems):
- ESO
- AmbuPro
For Fire Records Systems:
- ESO / Firehouse
- ImageTrend
- StationSmarts
- Active911
- IamResponding
- First Due
These systems can receive ARMS CAD data automatically, enabling departments to maintain their existing tech stacks while improving coordination and streamlining operations.
From Chaos to Coordination: A Municipal Case Example
Picture this: A town dispatcher receives a 911 call about a car crash with injuries. Before integration, the dispatcher logs the incident in CAD, radios it out, and EMS manually enters the same info into their ePCR later—sometimes hours after the event.
With ARMS CAD integration, however, the moment the call is created:
- EMS receives incident details instantly in AmbuPro.
- Fire units see dispatch data populate into StationSmarts.
- All units are working from the same real-time information, improving coordination and patient care.
This shift saves time, eliminates discrepancies, and improves public trust in first responders.
What to Look for in an Integrated CAD Solution
When evaluating your next CAD upgrade, make sure it checks the boxes for multi-agency use:
- Proven integrations with Fire RMS and EMS ePCR systems.
- Real-time data syncing.
- Compatibility with vendors commonly used in municipalities.
- Support for SOPs, officer safety alerts, and multi-unit dispatching.
ARMS CAD was built with all of these priorities in mind—and continues to evolve based on the needs of municipal agencies just like yours.
ARMS CAD: Built for Interagency Response
ARMS CAD is designed to support the unique needs of municipal public safety agencies in Massachusetts and beyond. It pushes call data—like address, incident type, and responder notes—directly into third-party Fire RMS and EMS systems, ensuring every team starts with the same information.
This flexibility means fire and EMS departments don’t have to switch platforms. Instead, they benefit from clean, consistent data that’s captured once at dispatch and flows seamlessly to everyone involved in the response.
Time to Connect Your Systems!
For Massachusetts towns and cities, the days of disconnected public safety systems are numbered. As Fire, EMS, and Police continue to collaborate more closely, integrated tools like ARMS CAD are the key to a more efficient and unified emergency response.
Ready to connect your team and streamline dispatch across all agencies? Contact us to request a demo and see ARMS CAD in action!
