The City of Hamilton has launched a new Hamilton Fire Department Incidents Dashboard, providing residents with timely information on active incidents that the Fire Department is responding to across the city.
This secure, modernized platform for public safety information replaces the Hamilton Fire Department’s @HFD_Incidents feed on X (Formerly Twitter), a shift made necessary by the February 25, 2024, cybersecurity incident. As part of its enterprise strategy, the City is moving from using X for updates to more efficient and customizable dashboards to enhance public safety information.
“The new Hamilton Fire Department Incidents Dashboard underscores our commitment to enhancing public safety and transparency for Hamiltonians,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “By leveraging technology to modernize our services, Hamilton is leading the way in using innovation to improve the quality of life for our community.”
Updated every five minutes, the dashboard provides timely information about incident types, dispatched units, and general locations, with privacy safeguards in place, such as anonymized address information and exclusion of vulnerable locations. Once a response has been completed, the incident is removed from the dashboard.
“The launch of this Dashboard marks a key step in our efforts to build back stronger and better after the February cybersecurity incident,” said Marnie Cluckie, City Manager. “Not only does it replace a crucial tool, but it also enhances it, meeting high standards for security, transparency, and public engagement. This initiative is part of the City’s broader commitment to strengthen systems, innovate, and better serve the community.”
“The Hamilton Fire Department Incidents Dashboard demonstrates our commitment to timely and transparent communication with residents,” said Fire Chief David Cunliffe. “It’s a powerful tool supporting the service delivery provided by the Hamilton Fire Department.”
The Hamilton Fire Department Incidents Dashboard is now live and accessible via the City’s website at hamilton.ca/HFDIncidentsDashboard. It provides critical information to residents while maintaining the necessary safeguards around privacy and security. It also aligns with the City's Digital Strategy to improve public access to information, streamline operations, and ensure data accuracy and privacy.