Integrating Your Display Board with Active911 and Google Maps

Display Boards
Integrating your display board with Active911 and Google Maps ensures efficient real-time updates and mapping capabilities, which are crucial during emergencies. Here’s a comprehensive guide to set up your display board using Active911’s ActiveAlert and Google Maps API.

Step-by-Step Guide to Integrating Your Display Board with Active911 and Google Maps

Step 1: Obtain a Refresh Token from ActiveAlert (Active911)
  1. Log in to Active911: Open your web browser and go to Active911's interface.
  2. Access the OAuth Token Generator: In the same browser session, navigate to Active911's OAuth Generator page.
  3. Set Permissions: Ensure all permissions are selected on the OAuth Generator page.
  4. Submit Your Request: Click "Submit Query" to proceed.
  5. Select Your Agency: Choose the agency you want to generate the token for, then press "Submit Query".
  6. Confirm Your Selection: On the confirmation page, click "Yes".
  7. Save the Refresh Token: Note the Refresh Token provided. This token expires in 1 year, so you’ll need to renew it annually.
Step 2: Obtain the Latitude and Longitude Coordinates of Your Station
  1. Visit Latitude and Longitude Finder: Go to LatLong.net.
  2. Input Your Station's Address: Enter the physical address of your station into the "Place Name" field.
  3. Find Coordinates: Click "Find" to generate the latitude and longitude for your location.
  4. Record the Coordinates: Save the latitude and longitude information for later use.
Step 3: Obtain and Set Up a Google Maps API Key
  1. Log in to Google Cloud Console: Using any Google Account, visit the Google Cloud Console.
  2. Create a New Project:
    • Click on the project dropdown menu and select “New Project.”
    • Name your project (e.g., "Fire Department Display Board") and click "Create."
  3. Enable Necessary APIs:
    • In the left-hand menu, go to “Library” under “APIs & Services.”
    • Search for and enable the Google Maps JavaScript API and Google Maps Directions API.
  4. Create API Credentials:
    • Navigate to the “Credentials” page.
    • Click on “Create credentials” and select “API Key.”
    • Copy and securely store the API Key that is generated.
  5. Secure Your API Key (Recommended):
    • Click “Restrict Key” after generating the API Key.
    • Set restrictions to limit the usage of your key (e.g., restrict by HTTP referrers or IP addresses).
    • Restrict the key’s usage to the enabled APIs only (Google Maps JavaScript API and Google Maps Directions API).
    • Click “Save” to apply the restrictions.
  6. Review Quotas and Pricing:
    • Monitor usage under the “Quotas” section to stay within the free tier or set limits.
    • Ensure your project is linked to a billing account to avoid disruptions in service.
Step 4: Configure Your Display Board with the Obtained Information
  1. Access Display Board Settings: Navigate to the Display Board Edit Screen in your configuration settings.
  2. Enable ActiveAlert Integration: Set the ActiveAlert Integration option to "Yes".
  3. Insert Required Information:
    • Refresh Token: Paste the ActiveAlert Refresh Token obtained in Step 1.
    • Coordinates: Enter the Latitude and Longitude coordinates obtained in Step 2.
    • API Key: Paste the Google Maps API Key obtained in Step 3.
  4. Set Display Preferences:
    • Keep Alive Setting: Set the "Keep Alive" option to 15 minutes. This determines how long the Emergency Alert Screen will remain active during an incident.
    • Pagegroup Prefix (if applicable): If your organization uses an ActiveAlert Pagegroup Prefix, enter the specific two-letter prefix here.
Step 5: Test the Integration
  • Test the System: Ensure that all integrated features, including maps and emergency alerts, function correctly on your display board.
  • Verify Map Display: Confirm that Google Maps is displaying correctly and that routing and directions are accurate.
By completing these steps, your display board will be fully integrated with Active911 and Google Maps, enabling dynamic and responsive emergency management capabilities for your fire department.
 
Article ID: 38, , Modified: 9/3/2025 at 10:19 AM

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