Annual Run Surveys

[S. Cook]

How about making the annual run surveys (both of them) available for download in spreadsheet format. The statistical infor info in these can be very valuable for departments. Putting the in a spreadsheet format would allow for sorting and organizing the data.

[webteam]

Scott

Thanks for your suggestion.

Since this is the first year the site has been online for both Surveys, they will indeed be posted online, probably about 1-2 months after they appear in the printed edition.

They will both likely be formatted in PDF format, which is a free plug in that comes with most browsers or can be easily downloaded. Unfortunately, a pure spreadsheet format is not possible, but the PDF format will be easy to read as well as easy to view the data.

Thanks for visiting and giving us feedback!

Firehouse.Com Team

[S. Cook]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The reason I suggested a downloadable spreadsheet is that it makes it easier for sorting the data to fit the conditions/information needed.

For instance, I am using it to do a quick study of budgets and call volumes for departments serving population bases and community profiles similar to ours. For the past few years, I've typed in all the info.

[morriss]

Also, lets be able to submit information for the survey through this site. Cut out the paperwork.

[webteam]

On Submitting...

While the form to submit to the annual Run Survey will be available online to download in PDF format, it will still likely be required to fill it out and send it through regular mail.

This is because every member of every department might try to fill out and submit the form, rather than the official representative. Typically, if I'm correct, a letter on the Department's official letterhead must accompany the form or it must be submitted by one designated person from the agency.

If the form was online, it would be impossible to control who submits it without a lengthy verification process...which would be a lot more time consuming that filling out, mailing, and then the Firehouse staff compiling the data.

Hope that answers your question and makes sense.

WebTeam