PRC CAD → TriTech CAD
This page summarizes the known public history of CAD systems used by the Orange County Fire Department (OCFD) and later the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), focusing on the long-running PRC CAD system and the eventual transition to TriTech.
Overview
From the late 1980s through the early 2010s, fire and EMS dispatching for most of Orange County relied on a CAD platform originally developed by Planning Research Corporation (PRC). Over time, corporate changes placed this CAD lineage under other owners (commonly cited under Northrop Grumman in the 2000s). The platform remained in service for decades before OCFA replaced it with a modern CAD from TriTech Software Systems.
What is CAD?
Computer-Aided Dispatch systems help call-takers and dispatchers create incidents, recommend units, track statuses, time-stamp events, and generate reports.
Why the PRC era matters
The PRC era bridged manual card-based dispatching and today’s GIS-based, AVL-enabled, interoperable dispatch operations.
What changed with TriTech
The TriTech era brought integrated mapping, vehicle location, closest-unit logic, and modern graphical workflows.
PRC CAD lifecycle (OCFD / OCFA)
Initial deployment
Countywide CAD capability is documented and brought online around early 1988, replacing manual incident cards and enabling automated time-stamping and unit tracking.
- Text-based incident entry and dispatch workflows
- Automated unit recommendation and status updates
- Early integration goals with Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs)
System maturity
Continued refinement supports growing demand, greater coverage, and improved dispatch protocols. The interface remains reliability-focused and operationally efficient rather than graphical.
- Expanded incident logging and reporting
- Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) workflow support
- Hardware and platform modernization over time
OCFA era: long-term operations
After OCFA’s formation (1995), the PRC CAD remains the primary system. Over the 2000s, it operates as a mature, mission-critical platform supporting large address databases, MDT messaging, and limited interoperability with neighboring dispatch centers.
- 24/7 multi-console dispatch operations
- MDTs receive incident details and updates
- CAD-to-CAD or center-to-center data sharing develops gradually
End of life and replacement planning
Replacement planning accelerates as limitations become more significant: aging infrastructure, limited native GIS mapping, and increasing integration needs.
- Funding and planning for a next-generation CAD
- Preparation for GIS/AVL/closest-unit dispatch capabilities
- Cutover planning and training
TriTech CAD era
By the early 2010s, OCFA selected a TriTech CAD to modernize dispatch operations. The transition period culminated in operational cutover in 2014, ending the PRC CAD’s long service life.
Key capabilities introduced
- Integrated GIS mapping
- Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
- Closest-unit recommendations
- Modern GUI workflows for dispatch positions
- Improved interoperability targets
Why agencies modernize CAD
- Improved location accuracy and routing
- Faster mutual aid coordination
- Better analytics and performance measurement
- Reduced operational risk from aging platforms
Timeline summary
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1987 | OCFD documents CAD implementation plans |
| 1988 | PRC CAD goes live (approx.) |
| 1995 | OCFA formed; PRC CAD retained as primary system |
| 2004 | Dispatch center relocates to RFOTC (operations & training center) |
| 2010 | Replacement planning and funding for next-gen CAD increases |
| 2014 | PRC CAD retired; TriTech CAD placed into service |
Disclaimer
This project is not affiliated with OCFA, OCFD, PRC, Northrop Grumman, TriTech, or any public safety agency. All names are referenced for historical context only. This is a simulated interface for navigation and education, not an operational dispatch system.