Plano Fire Department built countywide pre-plans that surface at dispatch
Plano Fire Department moved from a legacy reporting system to First Due and built shared pre-incident plans across Warren County—so crews get faster, clearer scene intelligence on dispatch, even outside their district.
"When we get paged out to one of those places that we’ve already pre-planned, we’ve got a whole lot of the information that we need right there automatically."
Measurable impact
9
9 Departments Sharing Pre-Plans
One
One Standardized Checks System
Mission-Ready
Mission-Ready Gear Expiration Tracking
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The Story
Background
In late 2023, Plano learned its previous vendor was no longer keeping pace with required updates and support. Leadership needed a modern platform that would work with the county’s existing CAD environment and help the department expand beyond basic reporting.
Challenge
Switching systems is a readiness project as much as it is an IT project. Plano needed a platform that could support day-to-day operations (truck checks, equipment accountability, training, events) while improving what crews see on the way to an incident.
Solution
Plano selected First Due based on strong peer recommendations—especially from Bowling Green Fire Department—and because much of the county’s environment was already aligned for First Due. The department adopted multiple modules, including Pre-Incident Planning, Assets & Inventory, Training, Events & Activities, Mobile Responder, Scheduling & Personnel, and Reporting.
Results
Pre-Incident Planning quickly became the standout. Plano built pre-plans that surface critical information automatically at dispatch, and Warren County departments share pre-plan data across district lines so responders have context even when the call is outside their “home” area.
On the operations side, Assets & Inventory helped Plano standardize checks and manage inventory, including visibility into expiring gear. Setup required upfront effort, but the payoff was ongoing time savings and clearer accountability.
About
Plano Fire Department
Quick facts
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Build better pre-plans—and put them in every responder’s pocket
First Due Pre-Incident Planning gives crews actionable, shareable pre-plans with mapping tools, drawings, and the right details delivered at dispatch.
In their own words:
- What brought you to First Due?
Plano was an Emergency Reporting customer, but support and required changes weren’t keeping up—so the department evaluated several vendors. First Due became the top pick, and Bowling Green Fire Department’s recommendation (plus the existing CAD alignment) helped make the decision. - Which First Due modules are you using today?
Assets, Events, Training, Mobile Responder, Scheduling, and Reporting—with Pre-Incident Planning standing out as the most impactful. - Which module has made the biggest difference so far?
Pre-Incident Planning. It’s user friendly, powerful, and it gives responders the key information they need automatically when they’re dispatched. - How does sharing pre-plans help your crews?
Warren County has nine departments sharing pre-planned data. If crews respond into a district they don’t know well, they still have initial building and location intelligence before they arrive. - How are you using Assets & Inventory?
For truck checks, building checks, equipment checks, and inventory—including tracking when a person’s gear is expiring. - What’s your experience with Scheduling so far?
Plano has used Scheduling the least to date, but paid staffing is starting soon—and Scheduling is on the horizon as a major upcoming need. - What are you excited about next (including AI)?
The Incident Command module and AI-assisted documentation—capturing a narrative and having AI help complete reporting to reduce report burden and improve consistency.
Ready to modernize operations and improve readiness?
See how First Due can help your agency consolidate tools, deliver better scene intelligence, and keep crews mission-ready.
