CALFIRE IMT Box link (IAP,Maps, Etc)
tiny.cc/calfireimt(insert team #)
Resonding to AJ’s question about why one team might put their IAP on a Google Sites website or OneDrive Account, a Cal Fire Team might use Box.com, and another may just put it in a folder on the NIFC FTP site?
One thing I have seen in past 2 decades is that agency data protocols and IT infrastructure are so top-heavy and overly-complicated many teams have just come up with ways that work for them and run with them - things like using a Gmail address for PIO contact like chipsfireinfo@gmail.com. As far as I can remember, nobody at Cal Fire HQ decided anyone was going to use Box.com. We were on fires and needed to share information, and creative people in the Planning Section came up with solutions that eventually were more or less accepted by the higher-ups.
Even the NIFC FTP site started off as someone in Portland’s (R6 HQ) good, unsanctioned idea. He set up a server in his office and we all started using it. Eventually, someone higher up decided this was not acceptable and moved the server to a legit system hosted in Kansas City or somewhere else more administrative. When they copied all the old data to the new server, we lost years worth of archival fire data, and the old server? Well, if you know where it is, or even how to turn it on, a bunch of us would like to know so we can recover all of that valuable old dozer line and other mapping data.
Technology moves so much faster than bureaucracy.
@pyrogeography, That is the key phrase! Even if/when there are great forward thinking guidelines and standards in place, it needs to consider and encompass items like pre-approval for initiating incident specific Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts and email addresses responsive to the subject incident using a standardized naming convention. In the worse case, approval must be obtained in seconds once a request is filed. Standards and guidelines that enable turn-key solutions for an IMT/AHIMT are necessary.
There needs to be standardized infrastructure and guidance for publishing, storage, and access of public documents like IAPs, maps, etc., and specifications to determine which is FOUO or LE sensitive, the data it can or cannot contain for those standards, and enabling guidance for secure access to those documents. Not just IBC memo 22-02, but far more expansive standards for the outward facing side.
IMT/AHIMTs must be nimble and responsive to their information and intel consumers, quickly, within minutes. The leadership responsible for developing those standards, guidelines, and infrastructure must acknowledge that the consumers include the categories of responding resources, host and assisting agency leadership, and the affected public and stakeholders, and design a responsive system that serves the specific needs of those consumer categories.
Update to how CAL-FIRE teams are using calfire.box.com to distribute data/products.
All teams are using one account now to make it easier to transition in a new team. Transitioning to a new team is somewhat of a new thing as fires on SRA are lasting longer and longer. Yes its been done before but typically the same team takes the fire till the end with CAL-FIRE.
With that said the static urls we have been used to for each teams current incident folder will no longer be relevant. Each incident will get its unique folder and corresponding QR and url.
The tiny.cc redirects we used to use although active will not point to the correct folder.
Just bumping this thread as folks have been asking about IAPs etc. Just a refresher on how things are distributed.