Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Module 9: IRWIN Integration

  • May 2017 IQCS first connected to the Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information (IRWIN) v5 application to begin pulling incident header fields to populate the Incident Setup page. This connection eliminates the need to enter/create incidents in the IQCS application being exchanged through IRWIN and thus decreasing the workload to users. This was the first step of the connection while ROSS was still in place and prior to IROC being stood up and integrated with IRWIN. 

    In March 2020 with the implementation of IRWIN v6, and IROC, the qualification applications became part of the write/read systems in the IRWIN integration. IQCS began writing (sending) responder and qualifications to IRWIN using existing business rules. It also began reading (importing) responder experience records.

    • Write (send) Responder Data
    • Write (send) Responder Certified Qualification Data
    • Read (Pull) Incident Data
    • Read (Pull) Responder Experience Data

    With the integration is it important to keep in mind that NOT all responders records need to be integrated to IRWIN. Per business requirements an IQCS responder record can exist and be managed in IQCS without being integrate to IRWIN. Examples of some situations include:  

    • Agency has business requirements not to integrate their responder records.
    • Responder is no longer engaged in incident response and thus the record need not be integrated. 
    • Responder has NO agency certified qualifications. 
  • RESPONDER INTEGRATION

    For an IQCS responder record and their certified qualification data to be integrated to IRWIN, and thus available to connected systems, data requirements must be met. It all begins with the responder's administrative record. If the responder administrative record (the person info) is not integrated then their certified qualification CAN NOT be sent. 

    If you are having issues integrating a qualification record, first check to see if the responder (person) record is showing as integrated with IRWIN. 

    IRWIN REQUIRED RESPONDER DATA

    For an IQCS responder record to be integrated to IRWIN, the IRWIN required fields MUST be populated on the responder's administrative record. Per business rules, an responder record can exist in the application and be managed without integration to IRWIN. However, if there is a business need to integrate the responder record, ensure that the following data has been populated. 

    • Name
    • Agency Provider Unit ID
    • Dispatch Unit ID
    • Employment Category
    • Business Phone
    • Business Email
    • Birthday/Month
    • Jetport
    • Manager Contact Information 

    Manager Contact Information 

    The contact information for the manager of a responder resource is used in duplicate resolution and also transferring resources from one system of record (SOR) to another. The order the application uses to send manger information is the following. If one is left blanks, then the system will move on the next until populated data is found. 

    • Training Officer
    • Alternate Training Officer
    • Account Manager
    • Certifying Official
    • Responder

    TROUBLESHOOTING NOT INTEGRATED WITH ALL IRWIN REQUIRED INFO ENTERED

    There are times when a record is showing as NOT Integrated although all the required information has been entered. In order to reinitiate a send to IRWIN, we suggest walking through the following process.

    INSTRUCTIONS - UPDATING PERSONAL INFORMATION

    1. Navigate to Responder Administration > Update Personal Information.
    2. Search and select responder.
    3. Select the Contact Information tab
    4. On EITHER the Phone or Email, change a Business type from Business to Other. 
    5. Save action.
    6. Return to Search and then open the responders Contact Information tab again by selecting the responder. 
    7. Their record should now show a IRWIN status of NOT Integrated due to missing a business contact requirement. 
    8. Return the Phone or Email type you changes back to Business.
    9. Save action. 
    10. Return to Search and then open the responders Contact Information tab again by selecting the responder. 
    11. The responder record IRWIN integration status will now show as Integrated if all required data has been entered. 
  • Agencies may have responders that do not need to go to IRWIN and made available to connect systems but are needed to managed in the IQCS application for incident qualification records. 

    To create an IQCS only record create your responder as normal but exclude the dispatch Unit ID or Jetport. Because these two fields are mobilization specific fields and the record is not being added to IRWIN for mobilization, then they do not need to be entered in IQCS.

    You will get a one-time message warning that the responder does not have all the required information. Click on No. You will not receive any further messages that the responder is missing IRWIN required data. The exception:

    • At some point the required data is filled-in and the record saved.
    • An IRWIN ID is received – indicated by the status of Integrated.
    • Required data is removed after an IRWIN ID is received.
      • In this case, you will get a message each time you visit pages with missing data.

    If the responder record was integrated but is not longer participating in incident response, then the Dispatch Unit ID and/or Jetport data can be removed. Removing an IRWIN required data field will release the record in IRWIN (setting SOR from IQCS to NONE) indicate that the IQCS is no longer updating the responder information in IRWIN. 

  • Managing conflicts with other responders in IRWIN is the responsibility of the IQCS Account Manager. Conflicts can be against records that have a System of Record (SOR) of IQS, IROC, IQCS, or NONE.

    Access to the conflict table and responders on the table is based on IQCS roles and Org access.

    IRWIN CONFLICT RESOLUTION 

    The conflict table presents the contact information that was available at the time the record was created or updated.

    For a SOR of IROC, IQS or IQCS, reach out to the contact person and ask that they go through their process of making a responder available to another qual system. For IQCS, that is adding a new job data row and doing an INAC or transfer. For IQS, you will get a transfer file. For IROC, there is no transfer file therefore no electronic record for that responder.

    • Duplicate
      • This action (button) indicates that the IQCS responder record is a duplicate to another IQCS record for the same responder that is already in the IQCS application. The multiple records that exist in IQCS for this responder need to cleaned up to have only one IQCS record per IQCS responder. Selection will notify IQCS staff to delete this record. DO NOT USE when the in-conflict Resource System of Record (SOR) is identified as IQS, IROC or NONE - - use Claim Responder
    • Not a Duplicate
      • This action (button) indicates that the IQCS responder is not a duplicate to existing record in IQCS or IRWIN and the unique record to be added to IRWIN.
    • Claim Responder
      • This action (button) is used when an IQCS responder conflicts with their own record that is already in IRWN due to management by another application/system. For IQCS to take over management of a record in IRWIN, the Resource System of Record (SOR) must be NONE. A record can only have one managing system and IQCS can not take it from another system. If the Resource SOR is IQS or IROC, then IQCS can not take over record until they they have released management.

    INSTRUCTIONS - IRWIN CONFLICT RESOLUTION

    1. Navigate to Main Menu > Responder Administration > IRIWN Conflict Resolution.
      • Takes you to the search page. 
      • Search and select the responder
    2. From the responder's Job Data page, click on the In-Conflict Link to go to the conflict table.
    3. Select the appropriate action for the record. 
      • Duplicate
      • NOT a Duplicate
      • Claim Responder 
    4. If the conflict shows the SOR as NONE, then you can make a selection to merge your record to the record in IRWIN. Select the check box prior to selecting this button. 
    5. If the conflict shows the SOR other then NONE, then you are unable to merge records. You MUST contract the manager to have the released from their management. 
    6. Select the Save button. 
  • An IQCS resource record must have an Irwin RID and a status of INTEGRATED for certified incident qualifications to be sent to IRWIN. Without BOTH of these pieces of data the two applications cannot transfer data on the resource or their certified qualifications. 

    It all begins with the responder's administrative record. If you are having issues integrating a certified qualification record, first check to see if the responder (person) record is showing as integrated with IRWIN. If the responder administrative record (the person info) is not integrated then their certified qualification CAN NOT be sent. 

    SEND CERTIFIED QUALIFICATION TO IRWIN

    A user can decide to send a certified qualification to IRWIN by selecting the Send to IRWIN check box on the responder's Incident Qual Card page. For an agency certified qualification to be available to be sent to IRWIN, the following are required:

    • A Certifying Official must be identified.
    • The position qualification status must be qualified or trainee.
    • The agency Certify Position box must be checked.
    • IRWIN status must be Integrated (not in conflict).
    • The Send to IRWIN box must be checked. 

    NOTE: Integration all begins with the responder's administrative record. If you are having issues integrating a certified qualification record, first check to see if the responder (person) record is showing as integrated with IRWIN. If the responder administrative record (the person info) is not integrated then their certified qualification CAN NOT be sent.

  • For every integration message (action) IQCS application sends to IRWIN, IRWIN will return a response. The vast majority of these responses are "Successful" but there are situations when a data add or data change can not be performed. It is highly recommended that a user review these messages when troubleshooting why data is not in IROC/CADs (via IRWIN) as expected. 

    The most efficient way review, and possible troubleshoot, data integration is to review the IRWIN Integration Messages related to your responder.

    INSTRUCTIONS - REVIEW INTEGRATION MESSAGES

    1. Navigate to Main Menu Responder Administration Review Integration Messages.
    2. Enter an Empl ID for a specific responder or leave blank to see all your transactions for the date specified.
    3. From Date and Thru Date. Enter a date range to display the send and received messages. For a single date, enter the same date in each. 
      • Remove the date to see all transactions over time, best used with an EMPl ID.
    4. Include Sent Msgs. Check to see that message that you sent to IRWIN. 
    5. Include All Recd Msgs. Check to see all message that were received from IRWIN. 
    6. Errors Only. Check to see received messages from IRWIN that are determined to be errors. 
    7. Select the Fetch Data button. 
    8. NOTE. Recommended to select the Include Sent Msgs and the Include All Recd Msgs to review what was sent and what was received. 

    ERRORS

    Below are examples of IRWIN response error messages. 

    Date TimeOperation Response MessagePossible Resolution
    11/17/2023 08:30:00ADD RESOURCEResource Conflict IQCS user needs to perform a conflict resolution action. 
    11/16/2023 15:09:09CHG RESOURCEDescription: This resource is read-only to all systems except iqs_casbc.| Value: iqs_casbc| PropertyName: ResourceSOR| Rule: IQS Contact: {removed for examples}

    Record being managed by another system. IQCS application CAN NOT change data on a record being managed by another system. 

    IQCS user needs to contact manager of record to have it released or not integrate the record to IRWIN. 

    11/16/2023 09:29:46CHG RESOURCEDescription: This resource is read-only to all systems except iroc.| Value: iroc| PropertyName: ResourceSOR| Rule: IQCS Contact: {removed for examples}

    Record being managed by another system. IQCS CAN NOT change data on a record being managed by another system. 

    IQCS user needs to contact manager of record to have it released or not integrate the record to IRWIN. 

    11/21/2023 09:06:09CHG RESOURCEResource Conflict IQCS user needs to perform a conflict resolution action. 
    11/14/2023 14:00:24REMOVE RESOURCEDescription: ResourceSOR cannot be changed if OperationalStatus is NOT NULL and NOT 'Returned From Assignment'| Value: iqcs| PropertyName: ResourceSOR| Rule:  IQCS Contact: {removed for examples}

    Resource is still assigned to an incident. Operation Status in the dispatch or ordering systems will have to be updated before action can be resent. 

    User needs to contact resource to determine if they have been released from assignment. If yes, then work with dispatch to update assignment status. If no, will have to wait until released to perform action. 

  • On May 3rd, 2017 IQCS connected to the Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information (IRWIN) v5 application to begin pulling incident header fields to populate the Incident Setup page. This connection eliminates the need to enter/create incidents in the IQCS application being exchanged through IRWIN and thus decreasing the workload to users.

    IQCSCMB identified nine (9) data fields to be pulled into IQCS for use in responder incident qualification management. An incident record must exist in order for experience to be credited to it. 

    IRWIN Imported Incidents

    • Are not editable.
    • Incident header data pulled (new and updates) once every 60 minutes.
    • Imported incidents will display an IRWIN ID.
    • Imported incidents auto assigned an IQCS Incident ID.
    • Nine fields pulled from IRWIN: IRWIN ID (GUID), Unique Incident ID (calendar year-unit identifier-local incident ID), Incident Name, Begin date, Host Unit ID (Protecting Unit), Event Kind, Event Category, State, Primary Fuel Model.
  • With the implementation of IRWIN v6 on March 9, 2020 the qualification applications have became part of the write/read systems in the IRWIN integration. The IQCS application writes (sends) responder and their qualifications and then reads (imports) incident and responder experience records.

    The experience records that the qualification systems pull in are ones that have been completed (assigned and released from an incident) in the dispatch/ordering systems for IQS and IQCS responders. The frequency of the import in to IQCS is hourly for both incidents and experience.  

    The IQCSCMB set business requirements on the data and the processing of the data to/from IRWIN. 

    IRWIN Imported Experience Records

    • Incident and experience records are queried from IRWIN for import on a 60 minute cycle.
    • All incidents are pulled for population to the IQCS Incident control table but only IQCS SOR responder experience records will be imported in. 
    • The qualification must be agency certified and integrated in order for an experience to be pulled in for it.
    • Experience records must have an arrival and departure (release) date in order to be available for import.  
    • Assignments that are canceled enroute or reassigned enroute will not generate an experience records for import.
Article Category