A $7,000 software upgrade will allow Hollister fire crews to be able to bring up floor plans of commercial and private buildings to aid in emergency operations and give Hollister police the ability to access code enforcement information from their vehicles.
The Hollister City Council unanimously approved the supplemental appropriation for the geographic information system software upgrade despite some concerns from councilmembers that the item should have been discussed during summer budget hearings.
"This upgrade will allow departments to attach files to properties in the system, eliminating time-consuming searches for information," Hollister Management Services Director Mike Chambless said in a report to the council. "Effectively, this means that firefighters can know the floor layout of a building before they make entry and can plan accordingly. This increases the safety of our personnel during emergency operations."