Assigned with due dates
Training is assigned by person and role with a due date, and reminders go out automatically until it's done.
Shift coverage
Every seat filled, every shift
Built for operations where an empty seat is a risk, not an inconvenience: 911 call takers, police, fire and EMS dispatch, engine companies, utility crews and anyone else who runs 24/7/365.
The week at a glance
See the gap before the shift starts
Every position against its required minimum, a week at a time. A shift that falls below the line stands out, swaps are on the record, and the picture is the same for the shift lead, the director and the person deciding whether to pick up a shift.
Coverage · this week
Example operation · sample data| Required | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Takers | 4 | |||||||
| Police Dispatch | 2 | |||||||
| Fire Dispatch | 1 | |||||||
| EMS Dispatch | 1 | |||||||
| Towing | 1 | |||||||
| Service Desk | 1 | |||||||
| Floor Supervisor | 1 |
Meets required minimumMinimum met by swapBelow required minimumEach day: day shift, then night shift
Required = the minimum on duty per shift for that position, set from your state mandate, contract or policy. Illustration with fictional data, not a product screenshot.
Inside the shift
Breaks, lunches and training without dropping below the line
Coverage isn't only who shows up. People step away every hour, and someone has to slide into the seat. Switchback Ops lays the whole shift out so relief, training time and a call-out can be moved around while every position stays at its minimum.
B shift · hour by hour
Example operation · sample data| 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call Taker A | BRK | LUN | ||||||||||
| Call Taker B | BRK | LUN | ||||||||||
| Call Taker C | LUN | BRK | ||||||||||
| Call Taker D | FIRE | FIRE | FIRE | FIRE | LUN | BRK | ||||||
| Police Dispatch A | BRK | LUN | ||||||||||
| Police Dispatch B | BRK | LUN | TRN | TRN | ||||||||
| Fire Dispatch A | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT |
| Fire Dispatch B called in | BRK | |||||||||||
| EMS Dispatch A | BRK | LUN | ||||||||||
| Relief 1 | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT | CT |
| Relief 2 | FLOAT | PD | FLOAT | PD | EMS | PD | PD | EMS | PD | PD | FIRE | FLOAT |
| Required minimums | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
On positionMoved to coverBreak, lunch or trainingCalled out
Fire Dispatch A calls out. Call Taker D moves to the fire console, Relief 1 backfills call taking, and a second fire dispatcher is called in for 10:00. Illustration with fictional data, not a product screenshot.
When someone calls out
From reported to covered, on the record
A call-out stops being a chain of phone calls and becomes four steps anyone can follow.
Step 1
Reported
The employee enters the call-out or running-late notice from their phone. No voicemail, no relay.
Step 2
Visible
The gap shows on the coverage calendar for everyone the moment it opens, with the post and the shift it affects.
Step 3
Covered
The skills matrix shows who is qualified for that post, so the shift lead calls the right people first.
Step 4
Recorded
Who covered, when the gap opened and when it closed stay on the record, alongside time-off and timecard corrections.
Risk mitigation
Fewer surprises at shift change
Most coverage failures are visible days ahead if anyone is looking. Switchback Ops does the looking: planned time off against the calendar, training coming due, equipment out of service.
The gap you see on Tuesday is a schedule change. The gap you find at 0200 is an incident.
Switchback Ops runs the people and readiness side of the operation. It is not a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and does not handle emergency calls.
- Coverage and gaps visible to everyoneBy day, week and month, with planned time off and holidays on the same calendar.
- Qualified cover on one listA skills matrix by person shows who can fill which post.
- Leadership call orderEmergency contacts kept current by each employee, with the order leaders get called.
- Incident and near-miss reportsEntered where the work happens, with actions tracked to a close.
- Alerts when something slipsRules notify the right person the moment it happens.
Training & development
Training that assigns itself and proves itself
A covered shift only counts if the person in the seat is current. Assignments, reminders and sign-offs run on their own, so leaders manage exceptions instead of spreadsheets.
E-signed acknowledgments
Each person signs for the training and the policies they've completed. No paper rosters to chase.
Skills matrix by person
One view of who is trained on what, so development plans and coverage decisions use the same facts.
Records ready on request
When an auditor, accreditor or board asks, the record is already there.
See your own schedule on the board
Bring a week of your real coverage problems. We'll walk through how each one would run in Switchback Ops.
Or email info@switchbackops.com