The mission of the Information Management Division is to provide centralized leadership for the development and operation of information technology that supports the Department's mission and vision, and facilitates the Department's long-range planning, information management and public information needs.

The Technical /Network Support Section staff members provide technical and network infrastructure support for the Department. The section is responsible for both the local and wide area networks (LAN and WAN), computer hardware and software installation and management, network hardware and software installation and management, Department-wide e-mail support, and communications technology management. The section is also responsible for maintaining and monitoring all of the Department's technical systems, including the internet and intranet systems, the virus and intrusion protection systems and the data backup and recovery systems. Section personnel provide internal consulting on technology solutions on all Departmental automation needs, and helps set the standards for Departmental hardware and software.

The PC Application Development Section staff provide business solutions and support to several divisions, including Financial Management, Materials Management, Forestry and Health Hazardous Materials. The most recent accomplishment is the implementation of the new browser-based Warehouse Inventory System at the Department's Pacoima Warehouse. Additionally, the Section is the lead in developing the Department's Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and the annual Business Automation Plan (BAP), as required by the County’s Chief Administrative Office (CAO). Future activities include installation of Business Intelligence (BI) tools that will allow management and staff to produce up-to-date statistics and reports on the fly, along with the delivery of a portal-based, content-rich system that delivers needed information to the individual desktop.

The Midrange Application Development Section staff members are responsible for developing, maintaining and supporting a variety of large, mid and small-scale systems, such as Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), NFIRS, IPFIRS, Payroll Processing, eDAPTS, numerous Personnel-related systems and a variety of other systems. The Midrange Section is proud of its recent accomplishments, including the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system upgrade in early 2004, and the County-wide eDAPTS implementation for the Fire Prevention Bureau.

The Geographic Information System (GIS) Section is comprised of personnel from many divisions within the Department, including Information Management, Forestry, Lifeguard, and Support Services. The GIS Section produces a vast number of products, including all of the maps used by fire station personnel -- both in paper and digital form. The Helispot Directory, Structure Protection Grid Maps, and a Geofile Maintenance System are just a few of the new products rolled out in the last fiscal year. This section prepares analytical studies, such as apparatus allocation modeling, incidents and response analysis, and population and housing studies.

The GIS Section also provides the training and tools required to support field personnel during an incident. For example, the GIS Technical Specialist Group produces the maps and products required by field personnel during major incidents on a 24-hour basis. The GIS Section, together with other Information Management Division staff, are working with the entire Department in planning future projects to benefit the organization and the public.