Author: Jeff Feiertag

Running the ePCR/Elite Cache Clear

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Jeff Feiertag

EMIHS has made a change to speed up the load time for eMEDS/Elite. (It will also clear out the dashboard. The down-side to that is that, when it runs at 0300 hours each day, it will also clear out the unit and crew. If you run any calls between 0300 and shift change, please re-input your information as needed.)

If your system seems to be running slowly throughout the day and you would like to run this process on your own:

Log out of Elite.
Find and double-click the BrowserClear shortcut on the Windows desktop.
Note the window that appears and click the Clear Cache button.
Click the Yes button if you would like to proceed. (If not, click the No button and close the Clear Cache box you saw before.) You will know the process is complete when the window disappears.

Getting Rid of the News and Entertainment Posts in a New Edge Tab

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Jeff Feiertag

Are you using Edge and finding that, when you start a new tab, you see all kinds of news and entertainment posts? Do you just want a basic search page, instead?

Open Edge.
Click the three dot button at the far right and choose Settings.
Click Start, Home and New Tabs on the left side of the screen.
Find the New Tab section at the bottom of the page.
Find the first item in that section, Customize your new tab page layout and content, and click the corresponding Customize button.
Note that your tab loads with all of the news and such.
Find and click the gear icon at the top-right corner of the page.
Click Focused.

Updating Software Center to Show Most Recent App Availability

Posted on March 21, 2022 by Jeff Feiertag

Are you trying to find something in the Windows Software Center, which you know should be there but is not? Here are directions to update Software Center to show the most current list of available apps.

Close Software Center, if you have it open.
Click the Windows start button (at the bottom-left of your taskbar) and type Control, but do not press the Enter key.
Find Control Panel in the resulting list and click it, in order to open it.
Wait for the Control Panel window to open, and then find the search box at the top-right corner of the window. Click in the search box.
Type Config and you’ll see Configuration Manager appear as an option. Click the Configuration manager link
Wait for the Configuration Manager Dialog box to appear and then switch to the Actions tab.
Find and click Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle in the list and then click the Run Now button, located at the bottom-right of the dialog box. Wait for that process to finish.
Find and click Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle in the list and then click the Run Now button.
Click the OK button and then close the Control Panel.
Re-launch Software Center as desired.

Choosing the Right TSR Category

Posted on March 11, 2022March 11, 2022 by Jeff Feiertag

Trying to determine which TSR category fits your help request? Here is a handy guide to get you started. This post will be updated over time. As a reminder, TEBS has recently reorganized a number of key teams and as a result you are reminded that all IT requests should be routed through TSR and the MCFRS Technology Section.

Category	What is Covers
Apparatus Headset	Apparatus Headset
Applications/Software - Data	Issues with Logistics App, Personnel App, EMSQA, FF Time Tracking, WOC, etc.
Applications/Software - Installed	Installed software not working correctly.
Applications/Software - Mobile Apps	Mobile apps for phones or tablets (Handtevy and PSTrax). NOTE: This does not include Active911 and MCEN.
Applications/Software - Web-Based	Batt Lineup, DOC Log, MCtime, PCAP, PIMS, SharePoint, WPM, etc.
Axon Body Camera	Axon Body Camera
Axon Dash Camera	Axon Dash Camera
Cable TV Service	Cable TV Service
CAD System & Hardware (Including CAD Mapping and ECC Phones)	CAD (ECC and Field), CAD Mapping, ECC Phones, etc.
Data Systems & Requests	Data Warehouse, data reports, data mining, response data report requests, etc.
Detectors/Meters	Detectors/Gas Meters
Email Services	Outlook accounts (existing and new requests), distribution lists, groups, etc.
Email Services - ALS Only	E-mail issues related to ALS personnel
ePCR System & Hardware	ePCR/Elite system, software and hardware, etc.
Fire Station Alerting	Fire Station Alerting
Fire Station Audio	Fire Station Audio
FireApp (or other RMS Issues)	FireApp server, software and hardware
FirstNet Subscriber Pay	FirstNet Subscriber Pay
GPS Systems	GPS Systems
Hardware/Software - License or Purchase Request	All requests to buy hardware or software, including web-based product licenses (triggers an additional form for you to submit)
IT Exemption Request	Request for an exemption to an existing FRS and/or TEBS policy (triggers an additional form for you to submit)
Meeting Video Recording Request	Request to record a Teams, Google or Zoom meeting
Messaging (Active911, MCEN, CMsg)	Active911 and MCEN account requests and issues with existing accounts
Mobile Data (MDC)	MDC software and hardware
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)	MFA conection problems, requests for key fobs (activate and deactivate)
Network Systems (Including network drives & VPN access)	Network drives, connectivity problems, VPN (access issues and new account requests)
Phone Number Updates	Update your desk or cell phone number in the centralized list
Radio Consoles (ECC)	Radio Consoles (ECC)
Radio System Infrastructure	Radio System Infrastructure
Radios and Equipment	Portable and mobile radios, speaker mics, DVRS issues, etc.
Station Video Cameras	Station Video Cameras
Technology Hardware	Desktop computer issues, peripherals (monitor, printer, webcam, etc.) and network printers
Technology Training Site & Tracking Subsites	System access, transcript problems, training data tracking, etc. for the main tech training website and all tech training project subsites
Telecomm Services & Hardware	Desk phones, cell phones, SONIM phones, etc.
TeleStaff System & Hardware	TeleStaff System & Hardware
Tone Alert Pagers	Tone Alert Pagers
Web-Based Forms	Changes to existing web forms (Jotform, SeamlessDocs, etc.), new form requests, access to forms
Website Changes & Issues	Website edit requests
Windows	Windows

Changing Your Tech Training Password

Posted on February 2, 2022February 2, 2022 by Jeff Feiertag

Can’t remember your tech training password and/or just want to change it? Here are the steps:

Go to the tech training website.
Find and click the Reset Password link, located near the top-right of the screen.
Note the box that appears:
Input your username and click the E-Mail Reset Link button. A message will be sent to the e-mail address on file with your tech training website account. (If that e-mail address is no longer valid, please contact Jeff Feiertag (jeff.feiertag@montgomerycountymd.gov) to update the address.
Find the message in your e-mail account. (If you do not see it, please check your junk/spam folder).
Click the link provided in the e-mail message. This will take you back to the website to show the following box:
Input your username again, followed by the new password of your choice. Please use at least eight characters and the following:
- At least one upper-case letter
- At least one lower-case letter
- At least one number
- At least one special character
Click the Change Password button and verification will be sent to the same e-mail address on file.

Configuring Edge to Work in IE Mode for MCtime on Non-County PCs

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Jeff Feiertag

Are you hoping to set up Edge at home, so that you may use it to work on timecards? It needs a few tweaks and FRS Technology has tried to simplify the process for you. (Note: Only someone who has administrator rights on a PC can perform this process successfully.)

Download the file Edge-IE.zip from the tech training website. Remember where you save it on your computer, such as the Windows desktop or the Downloads folder.
Find and double-click the file to open it in an unzip utility (such as 7-Zip or WinZip).
Double-Click the Edge-IE folder folder to expand it.
Press Ctrl-A on your keyboard to select all of the files.
Click the Extract button and either choose a new location or proceed with the default location to save the files (which will likely be the same location you selected earlier).
Close the zip utility.
Open a folder (through the File explorer or any other desktop folder) and go to the location where you just extracted your files.
Double-click the file called EdgeIEMode.bat.
Open Edge and access timecards as needed.

Troubleshooting MCtime’s “Failed to Validate Certificate” Error Message

Posted on November 18, 2021November 18, 2021 by Jeff Feiertag

Are you an officer on a county computer and seeing a failed to validate certificate error message like the one below?

Try this fix:

Close your web browser (Internet Explorer or Edge).
Find the Windows flag at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Type Java and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
Click Configure Java from the search results and the Java Control Panel options box will appear.
Change to the Advanced tab at the top of the window.

Scroll down until you see Perform signed code certificate revocation checks on in the list. It is halfway down the list, perhaps more.
Click to select Do not check (not recommended) and click the OK button at the bottom of the screen.
Open a folder on your Windows desktop (File Explorer or other folder) and click the View tab.
Ensure that the Hidden Items checkbox is checked. If it is not, check it.
Navigate to the following location:
C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment
Find the file called deployment.properties.
Right-click it and choose Open (or Open With, if that is the option) from the list. You will likely be prompted as to which program should open the file. Choose Notepad and click the OK button. (If you do not see Notepad listed, click the MoreApps link to find Notepad.)
Find the line that reads deployment.security.mixcode=HIDE_RUN and place your cursor after the word RUN.
Press the Enter key to create a blank line.
type the following into the blank line:
deployment.security.revocation.check=NO_CHECK
Do not make any other changes to the file!
Access the File menu and choose Save.
Close the deployment.properties file.
Start your browser and try to access MCtime.

If you are still stuck at that point, please fill out a Technology Service Request and FRS Technology will help you as quickly as we can.

Forwarding Your County Desk Phone Number to Your Cell Phone

Posted on November 16, 2021May 22, 2023 by Jeff Feiertag

Do you have a dedicated phone line at work, and would you like to be able to forward it to your cell phone?

To have this set up for you, please fill out a TSR.

Nature of Problem: Telecomm Services & Hardware
Comments: Please cite your name and Avaya desk phone number

The FRS telecom manager will need to have this capability enabled on the server. Thereafter, return to this TechTip and see below for forwarding instructions.

To turn on auto-forwarding, once it is available to you:

Dial *2, 9 and then the phone number to which you would like to send the calls. (Notes: If the area code is not 202, 240 or 301, you must include the number 1 before the area code.)
Examples:
- For the number 240-555-1212, you would enter: *292405551212.
- For the number 614-555-1212, you would enter: *2916145551212.

To turn off auto-forwarding:

Dial #2.

Final thoughts:

Turning the auto-forward on and off must be done from your desk phone.
The caller ID (on your second device) should show the number of the caller, not the phone number of your desk phone.
If you have any questions or concerns, please submit a TSR with the category Telecomm Services & Hardware.

Using Your Computer Instead of your County Avaya Phone While Teleworking

Posted on November 16, 2021November 16, 2021 by Jeff Feiertag

Are you a teleworking county employee and you would like to use your computer for your phone? Using a technology called Voice over IP (VoIP), we can set up your county computer with a program which you’ll run and use. You’ll only need a headset with microphone.

To have this set up for you, please fill out a TSR.

Nature of Problem: Telecomm Services & Hardware
Comments: Please cite your name, computer DCM number and Avaya desk phone number

Note: Someone from FRS Technology will coordinate a date/time with you for setup. You may need to bring your computer to meet that individual for the initial setup. You will simply log into the program whenever you are telecommuting. When you are logged out of the program, your desk phone will be active. If you do not have a headset with microphone, please include in the TSR that you would like one.

Installing the MFA App on a New iPhone

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Jeff Feiertag

Did you use the county’s app for multi-factor authentication (MFA) and then found it didn’t work when you migrated to a new phone? Here are the directions to get it working again for you.

Note: County Apple redeem codes are tied to your Apple ID, so please do not attempt to install the AccessMCG MFA app on a device with a different Apple ID.

Launch the App Store on your new phone.

Tap the account profile, either a silhouette or your picture in a small circle at the top-right corner of the screen.

Tap Purchased to access a list of apps you have purchased/downloaded.

Scroll to the AccessMCG MFA app in the list and tap the download button to the right of the app name.

Wait for the device to finish downloading and installing the app.

Launch the AccessMCG MFA app on your device.

Going to ePortal (via Quicklinks) and click the My Account button. Log in thereafter and complete the activation.

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