WASTL-Lokal
WASTL – Lokal is a dashboard that visualizes the status of deployed fire brigades—similar to the „Warn- und Alarmstufenliste“ of the Krems Fire Brigade. This version uses data from a local source.
Features
Fire brigades are displayed as colored points on a map. The color indicates group affiliation and deployment location. Groups can be freely named and color-coded. A list shows the names of the fire brigades in each group.
Additionally, up to four qualifications (e.g., hydraulic rescue equipment) can be assigned. A coverage map helps determine whether enough fire brigades with the required equipment are available in the area.
Technology & Development
This project was developed during my work at the „Bezirksführungsstab“ of the BFKDO Horn during the 2024 flood. The goal was to provide an immediate overview of the situation. WASTL served as a model, but its data from alarm centers was unreliable at the time. Additionally, it lacked the ability to group fire brigades during large-scale operations.
Excel was chosen as the local data source because it is familiar to the BFÜST staff. The Excel list could be easily printed and validated. The biggest advantage for development: No input mask or database needed to be programmed.
The first version was completed in 14 hours and immediately deployed. After the flood, I refined the code and added a feature to display qualifications (e.g., special equipment).
The backend was developed in Python because it is platform-independent and offers simple libraries for Excel processing. Python is also a widely used scripting language that others in the BFÜST could modify if needed. The frontend uses plain JavaScript—without frameworks—to enable easy maintenance by others.
Personal Significance
This project is special to me in several ways:
A New Environment
In 2024, I was involved in the BFÜST for the first time. I had only taken on the role of EDV section officer a few days earlier. I had little prior experience with cross-regional fire brigade operations, so the processes and people involved were largely unknown to me.One Problem, One Day, One Solution
The idea for the dashboard emerged on Sunday evening. After the requirements were specified, I thought: “This shouldn’t be a problem.” During the brief rest period overnight, I sketched out the implementation. The next day, I developed the dashboard during breaks in my work at the BFÜST—it was deployed that same evening.Unfamiliar Technology
Normally, I work at home with Linux and two large monitors. At the BFÜST, I only had a Windows laptop. Python and VSCode-Portable were quickly installed, but working with Python and plain JavaScript (instead of TypeScript) was unfamiliar.
All the above points—especially the fact that this was the first project I developed based on external requirements, and that it continued to be used even after the flood—make me particularly proud of this project.
