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Homepage Study Team Report
Final Version
Last Update: 02/23/01 3:00 PM
As a result of motions approved at the annual North American Fire Training Directors (NAFTD) meeting in Texas, President Edwards formed a NAFTD Homepage Study team on December 4, 2000. This team consisted of the following NAFTD members:
President Edwards charged the team as follows:
Study Team Activity on the Charges
The homepage study team determined that conducting team business by e-mail would be the most efficient means of addressing the tasks at hand. With all team members participating, a large number of e-mails were exchanged. The following is a summary of team activity and findings:
1. Determine the feasibility of a NAFTD homepage:
2. Determine content for a NAFTD homepage:
3. Determine a host for a NAFTD homepage (Consider a "Firehouse.com" offer to develop NAFTD Homepage and to host the site at no charge to NAFTD.)
Option A. Through discussions with staff at Firehouse.com the study team learned that conditions at Firehouse.com have changed and the offer of free development and webhosting services has been retracted. Firehouse.com will provide website design services for 5-6 NAFTD pages for a one time fee of $500. Annual webhosting fees of $50 would apply and NAFTD would be responsible for all future website designs and updates.
Option B. NAFTD may undertake website design and maintenance of any number of pages desired using internal resources and can purchase only the Firehouse webhosting service at an annual fee of $50.
Option C. NAFTD may secure the services of any number of public entity (state college students, for example) or private sector website developers. The costs of these services range widely with the scope of services. It would not be unusual to expect to spend from $600 to $1,200 for the initial design and $300 per year for regular update and maintenance services from a commercial website developer. In some cases these fees would include webhosting services.
The study team did not reach a conclusion on this specific charge because the field of options is so wide. To move further on this specific charge NAFTD must determine what resources are available within the organization, what types of services we desire and what price range is acceptable if outside resources will be used. There is a concern on the part of the team members that whatever option is chosen is an option that will be able to be sustained over time because the development and maintenance of a website is an evolutionary process requiring considerable talent and effort.
4. Secure a URL for a NAFTD homepage
The study team found that the cost of a domain name registration varies from a worst case scenario of $70 to a low of $34 for the first 2 years. The effect of registration is the same regardless which service is used so the study team filed an application to register NAFTD.org with the service that costs $34 for the first 2 years. By the time this report is read at FDIC 2001, that domain name will belong to NAFTD. Renewal fees apply after the first 2 year period expires.
5. Report findings in time for discussion at the NAFTD meeting at FDIC 2001.
Background
1. Determine the feasibility of a NAFTD homepage.
2. Determine content for a NAFTD homepage.
3. Determine a host for a NAFTD homepage (Consider a "Firehouse.com" offer to develop a NAFTD Homepage and to host the page at no charge to NAFTD.)
4. Secure a URL for a NAFTD homepage
5. Report team activities and findings in time for discussion at the NAFTD meeting at FDIC 2001.
The study team is unanimous in its support of the development and maintenance of a NAFTD homepage. The purposes and benefits the team sees in establishing and maintaining a homepage include:
1. Providing information for our membership
2. Providing information for the fire service and general public
3. Expanding the visibility and increasing recognition of the NAFTD
The study team suggest the following content be considered for an NAFTD homepage:
The study teams explored several options to page development and webhosting services for a NAFTD homepage.
To secure a URL address for NAFTD it is necessary to register a domain name. The study team considered a number of domain names for an NAFTD homepage and settled on NAFTD.org. When the World Wide Web was in its infancy the conventional wisdom was to register the .com and the .net suffix to the chosen domain name, as well as the .org suffix in an effort to reduce potential confusion on what entity was NAFTD. Today there are numerous other suffixes available and more are expected to be available in the future. It would not be cost effective to register and maintain NAFTD with all the possible suffixes.
The study team respectfully submits this report for review by President Edwards and for dissemination at the NAFTD meeting at FDIC 2001 if deemed appropriate. The study team stands ready to serve further if the president and the membership determine that more activity is required on this important project.