8/27/2008 – The Southern Area Cache is Brought Online and the Northeast Area Cache Prepares for Implementation

• The Southern Area Cache (SAK) in London, KY was brought on board the re-engineered ICBS system in mid-August, during a relative lull in incident activity and support.  Cache personnel are currently using the new system to process fire replacement orders for fires in Texas.
• Cache personnel are now preparing for potential incident support related to Tropical Storm Gustav, which is predicted to reach the Gulf Coast early Labor Day week.
• The lessons learned at RMK and PFK, and the “optimization” work that was made to the application in July, will benefit users at SAK.
• Team members have begun working with the staff of the Northeast Area Cache (NEK) to prepare for training and implementation.  This includes label printer testing, wireless LAN and scanning device testing, location numbering, data collection and validation, and training. We expect NEK to be on board by mid-September.
• The Implementation Team is currently developing a sequence for bringing the next National Caches on board following NEK.
• In early August, ICBS-R team members installed Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) at the Alaska Incident Support Cache (AKK) and the State Fire Warehouse (SFS) in Fairbanks, Alaska.
• Team members are working with BLM accounting and technical personnel to define new charge code formats and other requirements that the new DOI Financial Business Management System (FBMS) will introduce to BLM caches.
• FBMS is being launched early in the new fiscal year.
• The Interagency Helpdesk has provided 7 day a week support to ICBS users since April.  Call volume has been relatively light.