Setup Guide

Live on your next
call in 5 minutes.

Free for any fire department. One Google account, 5 minutes, ready for your next call.

Total setup time: 5 minutes
What you need
📱
A smartphone
Any iPhone or Android. Crew just need Safari or Chrome.
FREE
📶
Cell service
One bar is enough to sync across all devices.
FREE
🔑
Google account
For your free Firebase database. Most depts already have one.
FREE
Step-by-step
1
Open Firebase Console
Go to console.firebase.google.com and sign in with a Google account your department controls.
2
Create a new project
Tap Add Project. Name it anything — e.g. BarreysBayFire. Click through, skip Google Analytics.
Each department gets their own project. Your incidents are completely private and separate from any other department.
3
Add a Realtime Database
Inside your project navigate to:
Build›Realtime Database›Create Database
Choose any region. When asked about security rules, select Start in test mode → Enable.
4
Copy your database URL
After the database creates you'll see a URL at the top:
https://your-project-default-rtdb.firebaseio.com
Copy it. Save it in your phone's notes. This is all you need going forward.
5
Start your first incident
Go to fire.mkegroup.ca and fill in the setup screen:
Dept Name
Your department name
Firebase URL
Paste the URL from Step 4
Captain PIN
Any 4 digits. Share only with lieutenant or backup IC.
Incident
e.g. Structure Fire Hwy 60
Address
Location of the incident
Tap Start Incident as Captain. You're live.
6
Share with your crew
Tap 📲 in the top right. Post the QR code or link to your group chat. Crew tap it in their browser — no download, no account. They tap their name and they're on the board.
Every future call — Firebase URL and PIN are pre-filled. Just enter the incident name and address and tap Start.
Troubleshooting
Board stopped syncing after a few weeks▶
Firebase test mode rules expire every 30 days. Fix: Firebase Console → your project → Realtime Database → Rules tab. Replace everything with {"rules":{".read":true,".write":true}} and click Publish. Set a monthly reminder so you're not caught mid-call.
Start Incident button isn't working▶
Two common causes: 1) Firebase URL is wrong — confirm it ends in .firebaseio.com with no trailing slash. 2) Firebase rules expired — see fix above. Try reloading and waiting 5 seconds before tapping.
Crew scanning QR get sent to the setup screen▶
Cached old version. Tell crew to close the tab completely and reopen the link, or open it in a private/incognito window.
No cell service on scene▶
One bar is enough to sync. In a complete dead zone, the captain's phone still works locally and syncs when signal returns. For zero-signal scenes, a physical PAR board is still your fallback.
Can multiple people have captain access?▶
Yes. Anyone who enters the PIN on the login screen gets full captain access. Share it with your lieutenant or anyone who may need IC access.
Is our data private?▶
Yes. Each department has their own Firebase project under their own Google account. Nothing is shared with MKE Group or other departments. Your call history lives in your Firebase project and you can delete it any time from the Firebase Console.

Ready to go?

Free for any fire department. No account, no app, no subscription.

Open Fire Ground Board
fire.mkegroup.ca