Command Timers

Set up countdown and operational timers with alert intervals — start, stop, reset, and keep an eye on benchmarks during an incident.

Command Timers let you track operational periods and benchmarks during an incident. The popup opens from the Timers button in the command tools menu. It lists every timer with its running clock and alert interval, and gives you controls to start, stop, reset, edit, or delete each one. A separate form creates and edits timers.

Overview

Element	Description
Timer row	Two lines: the timer's name with its elapsed time, then its alert interval. For example Evacuation Timer - 00:14:22 above Alert Interval: 15:00.
Row background	Normal until the alert fires, then the whole row turns red.
Start / Stop	Starts the timer counting, or stops it where it is.
Reset	Stops the timer, sets its elapsed time back to zero, and clears the alert.
Edit	Opens the timer form to change the name or the alert interval.
Delete	Removes the timer after a confirmation prompt. Only available while the timer is stopped.
Add New	Opens the form to create a new timer.
Close	Saves all timers and closes the popup.

Time format	Meaning
Elapsed time	Hours, minutes, and seconds — 00:14:22.
Alert Interval	Minutes and seconds — 15:00.

Create / Edit Timer form

The form's title tells you which you are doing.

Title	When
Add Timer	You tapped Add New.
Edit Timer	You tapped Edit on an existing timer.

Field	Description	Required
Timer name	The timer's label, for example Evacuation Timer. The keyboard opens on this field automatically.	Yes
min	The minute part of the alert interval, chosen from a dropdown of 0 to 59.	No — defaults to 0
sec	The second part of the alert interval, chosen from a dropdown of 0 to 59.	No — defaults to 0
Save	Checks the name and saves the timer.	—
Back	Closes the form without saving.	—

note

A new timer is created stopped, with its elapsed time at zero. It does not start counting until you tap Start.

Getting Here

1. Open an incident and open its Command View.
2. In the command tools menu, tap Timers.
3. The Command Timers popup opens with your existing timers listed.

Creating a Timer

1. Tap Add New.
2. Type a name in the Timer name field.
3. Tap the min dropdown and pick the minutes for the alert interval (0–59).
4. Tap the sec dropdown and pick the seconds (0–59).
5. Tap Save. The new timer appears in the list, stopped and ready to start.

caution

A timer needs a name. If you tap Save with the name empty you will see "Enter unit name". Type a name and tap Save again.

tip

Give timers names that mean something at three in the morning — PAR Check, Operational Period 2, Bottle Change — not Timer 1. Everyone with the incident open sees the same names.

Running, Resetting, and Editing

1. Tap Start on a timer to begin counting. The button switches to Stop.
2. Tap Stop to pause it where it is. The elapsed time is kept.
3. Tap Reset to stop the timer and return it to 00:00:00.
4. Tap Edit to change the name or alert interval, then Save.

Action	Effect on elapsed time	Effect on the alert
Start	Begins counting up from where it was	Clears the alert, so the row is no longer red
Stop	Holds at the current value	Clears the alert
Reset	Back to 00:00:00, and the timer is stopped	Clears the alert
Edit then Save	Unchanged	Unchanged — only the name and interval change

caution

Timers only count while the Timers popup is open. Closing the popup stops them advancing; reopening it resumes counting from where the elapsed time left off. Keep the popup open when you are relying on a timer to catch a benchmark.

When an Alert Fires

1. Once a running timer's elapsed time reaches its alert interval, the whole row turns red.
2. The timer keeps counting — the red row is a flag, not a stop.
3. Tap Start/Stop or Reset on that row to clear the red and carry on.

tip

When a timer reaches its alert interval its row turns red — a clear, glanceable cue to act on a benchmark such as a PAR check or an operational-period change.

Deleting a Timer

1. Stop the timer first. Delete is only shown while a timer is stopped, so a running timer cannot be removed by accident.
2. Tap Delete.
3. A prompt titled Delete asks "Are you sure you want to delete this timer?"
4. Tap Yes to remove it, or No to keep it.

Loading and Empty States

State	What you see
No timers yet	The list is empty. Tap Add New to create the first one.
A stopped timer	The Delete control is visible on the row.
A running timer	The Delete control is hidden and the button reads Stop.
A triggered timer	The whole row is red until you start, stop, or reset it.
Popup closed	Elapsed times are frozen where they were and resume when you reopen the popup.
No connection	The list still works, but a message tells you the internet is not available and your changes are not sent.

How This Connects

Timers belong to the incident, not to your phone. Everyone working the incident sees the same set.

• Where the data comes from. Timers are part of the incident record, loaded with the incident. Opening the popup shows the timers already saved against it.
• What updates it. Every action — creating, starting, stopping, resetting, editing, and deleting — is written to the incident record straight away, and closing the popup saves the whole set again. Each timer's name, alert interval, elapsed time, and running state are all stored, so a colleague opening the incident on another device sees the same timers in the same state.
• What they pair with. A timer's alert interval is how you turn the per-unit clocks in PAR into something that prompts you: set a timer for your accountability interval and the row goes red when the next check is due. Operational-period timers pair with the incident elapsed time in the Command View header.
• The clock that is not shared. The Start / Stop button in the Command View header is your own local working clock, saved only on your device. Command Timers are the shared ones. If you want your colleagues to see it, it goes here.
• Where to reach it. Timers is one of the tools on the Incident Side Menu, opening over the command board without losing your place on it.
• Offline. The popup opens with the timers already loaded, and they still count while it is open. Nothing is sent — you will see a message that the internet is not available, and nobody else sees your new or changed timers.
• On reconnect. Reopen the popup and make your changes again, or just tap Close to push the current set to the server. Do not assume a timer created offline reached the incident.

Troubleshooting

If this happens	What to do
"Enter unit name" when saving	The Timer name field is empty. Type a name and tap Save again.
A timer's elapsed time has not moved	Timers only advance while the Timers popup is open. Reopen it, and keep it open while you rely on the timer.
The Delete control is missing	The timer is running. Tap Stop first, then Delete appears.
A row is red and you want it back to normal	Tap Start/Stop or Reset on that row. Either one clears the alert.
A timer went red immediately	Its alert interval is shorter than its existing elapsed time. Tap Reset, or Edit it and set a longer interval.
The alert interval is wrong	Tap Edit, change the min and sec dropdowns, and tap Save. The elapsed time is not affected.
You deleted a timer by mistake	There is no undo. Create it again with Add New.
Your timer does not appear for colleagues	You were offline when you created it. Reconnect, reopen the popup, and tap Close to save the set.
A message says the internet is not available	Your changes are kept on the device but not sent. Reconnect and save again.
Someone else's changes replaced yours	Timers are shared. Agree who is managing them during an active incident.
You want a timer only you can see	Use the Start / Stop clock in the Command View header instead — that one is local to your device.

Related Pages

• Command View
• Incident Side Menu
• Personnel Accountability (PAR)
• Incident Timeline
• Command Notes

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