General Overview

In the Incident Configuration stage, you get to define the actual emergency events that will drive your RADIO simulation. This is where you build out one or more incidents — each one representing a distinct call or situation your dispatchers will have to handle.

It really doesn’t matter whether you prefer to work in Timeline view or Form view — both are just different ways of entering the same information. The system keeps everything consistent behind the scenes.

Here’s what you’ll set up for each incident:

Name
Location
Description
Incident Source
Start Time
Incident Type
Incident Priority
Any dispatcher notes you want to include

Choosing Your Tool - You have two great options for building your incidents:

Timeline View - This gives you a visual timeline that shows your Units and Timeframes at a glance. To add a new incident, you simply click anywhere on the timeline and the “Add Incident” panel pops open with the exact time you clicked already filled in. You can also drag and drop Units along the timeline to easily adjust when they become active — super intuitive once you start playing with it.

Form View - This opens a clean form where you fill in all the details field by field. Many people like starting here when they want to think through everything carefully. Once you’ve created incidents in Form view, you can instantly switch over to Timeline view to see everything laid out visually and make quick adjustments.

Making It More Realistic (Optional but Powerful)

You can add multiple incidents tied to the same overall scenario. This is great for testing how well your team handles multitasking and juggling several things at once.

For each incident, you can create additional units and assign them specific responses so the simulation feels like a real, busy shift.

Generate Units & Journeys

Once you’ve laid out your incidents, look for the “Generate Units & Journeys” button. Clicking this instructs the AI to use your inputs to create your Scenario, referencing the Units & Journey instructions you have provided. This is done in place of manually adding unit journeys and steps to an incident.

Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide

Incident Configuration

Get your bearings

The blue checkmark beside Stage 1 - Radio Setup, means that section is complete
In Stage 2 - Incident Configuration, you will select and configure the Radio Incident Details

Format for this RADIO Incident

You can choose the tool you want for setting up your initial RADIO simulation: Timeline or Form.
You can choose the format that works best for you
- Timeline
- Form

Timeline

In the timeline format, you will literally place RADIO incidents onto the provided timeline
Timeline view provides you with a timeline showing Units and Timeframes. As you build your incidents and Unit Journeys, you simply click on the timeline and your Add Incident panel will open with the time you selected pre-filled. You can also move Units to a different place along your timeline by dragging and dropping them where you like.

Form

In the form format, you will fill out a form describing RADIO incidents for your new scenario.
Form view opens a form with fields for you to fill your information. Once built in Form View, you can still view and edit using the Timeline View.

Add Incidents and Units

You can add incidents to the primary incident so the simulation can serve to test multi-tasking ability, comprehension of multiple incident assignments.
You can create additional units to assign to each corresponding incident, adding responses needed for the scenario.

Using the Timeline Format for Incident Configuration

Select Timeline

Click the blue arrow

Click the blue arrow to expand the Incident panel

Click + Add Unit Journey

A unit is an Agency vehicle (Squad car, Fire truck, EMS Ambulance, etc.)
Adding a Unit Journey allows to you send a unit to the emergency
You will be able to send multiple units based on the nature of the emergency
You will be able to add units a different times, as the emergency progresses

Assigned Unit field dropdown arrows

Use the dropdown arrows to display the list of possible units
Select the Unit you want to send

Select the Unit you want to send

Click the blue Add Journey button

Unit 6 has been included in your RADIO scenario

Note the control panel for managing Unit 6
Options include Move, Add a Step, Edit the Journey, and Delete

Unit Control Panel - Options for managing Unit 6

Note the control panel for managing Unit 6
Options include the following:
- Move
- Add a Step
- Edit the Journey
- Delete

Move Unit in Timeline (Six Dots)

Click and hold the dots to drag Unit 6 to another location in your Scenario (this will make more sense once you have multiple units on the scene)
Once clicked, a Hand icon will appear, notifying you to drag this Unit where you want.

Add Step (Plus sign)

Click the Add Step (Plus sign) to add a step to Unit 6’s Unit Journey

The Add Step panel will expand and offer you options to do the following:
- Trigger Type - When should this step happen?
  - Use the dropdown arrows to choose from these options
    At specific time (you will be able to input the exact time in “seconds from incident start) in next field below
    When unit is dispatched
    Relative to the previous step (this means that you can set it up to play “after previous event happens” such as Unit has arrived, Backup has arrived, etc.
- Description - What happens in this step/ at this trigger/time
  - Typical inputs include
    Unit acknowledges dispatch
    Unit messages that they have reported on the scene
- Time (seconds from incident start)
- Message (what the Unit will say)
- Add Step button (enters your Add Step choices into the scenario)

Example of completed Add Step panel

Edit Unit Journey (Pencil icon)

The Edit Unit Journey panel for this Incident will open

Assigned Unit - Use the dropdown arrows to replace Unit 6 with a different unit or type of unit

Finish Editing this Unit Journey

Delete Journey - remove this Journey from your timeline
Cancel - cancel changes made in this panel
Save Changes - save changes made in this panel

Save Changes - save changes made in this panel

Unit Journey has been edited successfully
- Unit 6 has been edited to Unit 12

View your newly added step on your Timeline

Unit 6 has updated to Unit 12
Unit 12 has acknowledged dispatch at the time of dispatch (beginning of the timeline 0:00)

Add Incident Directly onto Timeline

Add an incident directly to the timeline of your unit

Place your cursor on your Unit control panel line
Find the time on your timeline where you want to add an event
Click the Target icon (+) that appears at your specified time, on the Unit Control panel line

Add Step Panel opens

Notice that the time you selected directly on the timeline is now prefilled

Notes on Trigger Types

When unit is dispatched (On Dispatch)
- This trigger tells the system “only allow this step for this unit to happen if the dispatcher at runtime dispatches this unit. By “dispatches this unit” we mean verbally gives an indication to this unit that they are to proceed/handle/take on the incident. They do not have to say “dispatching you” or use the word “dispatch”. But they do have to give the AI unit some kind of verbal (just like in reality) indication that they are ‘sending them’ on the incident.
- Application
  - You don’t want that particular step to happen unless the dispatcher initiates the dispatch.
  - Most of the time would be the first step of that unit's journey.
  - Should only ever be used once on that unit’s journey.
At a specific time (At Time)
- This trigger tells the system “execute this step at this specific time from the incident start regardless of any previous steps, anything the dispatcher says or does”
- Application - when to use this trigger type
  - Use when, regardless of anything happening, this step will happen at this time.
  - Use if you want the dispatcher to hear and see units on their own going about their activities,
  - Use as a first step if trying to allow the unit to do something ahead of the dispatcher even being aware of them (e.g. unit transmitting that they are in the area and are available to assist).
  - Use with caution, because, being based on incident start time, this trigger has no ‘relation’ to anything else. If the dispatcher delays a step, or speeds up a step happening before this configured one, this step will still happen at the fixed time.
Relative to a previous step (Relative)
- This trigger tells the system “execute this step X seconds after the step I tell you”. Meaning, it correlates an earlier step that unit had, gives the system association to this next one. The association is time from an earlier step that unit took.
- Application - when to use this trigger type
  - Use when you want a step to only happen if the previous step is executed. This is very powerful as it prevents the units from just going about the simulation on their own, even if a previous step never happened. This helps keep the scenario more “real” world. For example, if step 1 for the unit was “dispatcher” trigger, and dispatcher failed to dispatch the unit, that unit would not execute any steps and be silent the whole simulation.
  - Use when it could be easier on authoring to understand when this step will happen as you are correlating it with a time based on a different action, versus the entire incident time.
  - Use when you can relate it to any previous step that unit took.

The Add Step panel will expand and offer you options to do the following:

Trigger Type - Select from the dropdown list:
- When a unit is dispatched (On Dispatch),
- At a specific time (At Time)
- Relative to a previous step. This greatly influences the runtime behavior of this unit. See step below for detail.
Description - Type in a description of what happens in this step/ at this trigger/time. This allows a quick glance for an author to understand the point of this step.
- Typical inputs include
  - Unit acknowledges dispatch
  - Unit messages that they have reported on the scene
  - For example, you can start with “arrives” or “en route,” etc
Time - pre-filled based on your selection on the timeline (previous step)
Message (what the Unit will say) Specify exactly what you want the unit to say/transmit in this step. The unit will say this like a scripted caller (it will say exactly this thing).

Add Step button (enters your Add Step choices into the scenario)

Click the Add Step button (which has now turned blue, because you have filled the form)

Review your newly edited and added steps

Unit 6 is now Unit 12
Green - Unit acknowledges dispatch at 0:00 (at time of Dispatch)
Blue - Unit responds at the exact time you selected directly on the timeline (40:00 seconds)

Add Incident in Timeline Format

Click the + Add Incident option

The Add Incident Panel opens

Fill out the Incident details for the incident you are adding

Incident Name - Way for authors to have general idea of type of incident
Incident Location - Enter the incident location
Incident Description - write a short, specific description of what happens in this scenario. Provide a paragraph, sentence based summary for best effect.

Generate Units & Journeys

Once your Add Incident panel has been filled, the Generate Units & Journeys button will activate
Click the Generate Units & Journeys button

AI Generating Units & Journeys

Status message appears letting you know that the AI is Generating your Incident

Finish filling Incident Details

Incident Source - Set the source to either Caller initiated or Field Initiated

Start Time in seconds - Set the start time as the number of seconds into the simulation when the incident becomes active. Controls when the incident appears and begins generating activity in the simulation. The default is 0 seconds. So if you don’t change this, the incident will appear or the unit will transmit to call it in the moment the user clicks “Start Simulation”.

Incident Type - Select the incident type from the dropdown. If no values appear, it means there are no values provided in the CommsCoach Incident Variable Mapping table. Drives how the incident is categorized and can affect downstream behavior.

Incident Priority - Pick from Low, Medium and High. Use in a way to communicate to the dispatcher what ‘call taker’ marked the severity of the incident.

Dispatcher Notes - Provides context for the dispatcher and influences the realism and accuracy of responses.

AI Generating Incident - wait

Status message appears letting you know that the AI is Generating your Incident

View your newly added Units & Journeys on your Incident timeline

Click the Edit Incident icon

Click the Edit Incident (Pencil icon) to finish editing your new incident

The Edit Incident Panel will re-open

Finish inputting incident details
Click Save Changes

Scroll to view the entire Incident Timeline

Use the scrollbar below your timeline to view entire Incident timeline

Review the unit details of any specific unit

Click on the incident to read the details

Move a unit to a different place in the timeline using drag & drop

Select your incident on the timeline
Click on the incident rectangle

Drag and Drop
- Drag your unit to the preferred location (time) on your timeline

Click Next

Scenario will update

Requirements Met Notification

Stage 2 - Incident Configuration should now be checked off as complete
Requirements update will be provided
- You must configure the correct number of units. If you have fewer than required, add more. If you have more than required, delete excess.
- Example: Based on your incident configuration, you need to configure 4 units. Currently configured: 4 units.

Video Demonstration: Searching, Sorting by Type, Working with the Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

Explain Trigger Types

When unit is dispatched (On Dispatch)

This trigger tells the system “only allow this step for this unit to happen if the dispatcher at runtime dispatches this unit. By “dispatches this unit” we mean verbally gives an indication to this unit that they are to proceed/handle/take on the incident. They do not have to say “dispatching you” or use the word “dispatch”. But they do have to give the AI unit some kind of verbal (just like in reality) indication that they are ‘sending them’ on the incident.
Application
- You don’t want that particular step to happen unless the dispatcher initiates the dispatch.
- Most of the time would be the first step of that unit's journey.
- Should only ever be used once on that unit’s journey.

At a specific time (At Time)

This trigger tells the system “execute this step at this specific time from the incident start regardless of any previous steps, anything the dispatcher says or does”
Application - when to use this trigger type
- Use when, regardless of anything happening, this step will happen at this time.
- Use if you want the dispatcher to hear and see units on their own going about their activities,
- Use as a first step if trying to allow the unit to do something ahead of the dispatcher even being aware of them (e.g. unit transmitting that they are in the area and are available to assist).
- Use with caution, because, being based on incident start time, this trigger has no ‘relation’ to anything else. If the dispatcher delays a step, or speeds up a step happening before this configured one, this step will still happen at the fixed time.

Relative to a previous step (Relative)

This trigger tells the system “execute this step X seconds after the step I tell you”. Meaning, it correlates an earlier step that unit had, gives the system association to this next one. The association is time from an earlier step that unit took.
Application - when to use this trigger type
- Use when you want a step to only happen if the previous step is executed. This is very powerful as it prevents the units from just going about the simulation on their own, even if a previous step never happened. This helps keep the scenario more “real” world. For example, if step 1 for the unit was “dispatcher” trigger, and dispatcher failed to dispatch the unit, that unit would not execute any steps and be silent the whole simulation.
- Use when it could be easier on authoring to understand when this step will happen as you are correlating it with a time based on a different action, versus the entire incident time.
- Use when you can relate it to any previous step that unit took.

Stage 2: Incident Configuration

General Overview

Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide

Frequently Asked Questions