# Emergency Calendar (eCal) — Custom shift calendar

> Customizable shift calendar for emergency services personnel. (iPhone/iPad app by Trek Medics International, Inc.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emergency-calendar-ecal/id335486807 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Trek Medics International, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/837847803)
- Category: Utilities, Productivity
- Price: $2.99
- Rating: 2.20/5 from 16 App Store ratings · 82 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2009-10-21
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emergency-calendar-ecal/id335486807/reviews.md

## What is Emergency Calendar (eCal)?

Emergency Calendar (eCal) lets you create and display any shift calendar used by fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS). eCal was designed for low-tech, easy use to allow users to personally customize their shift schedule -- whether it's a 2/4, 4/6, 48/96, or any other Platoon/Kelly combination. Video Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK5XIELgM5E

**All proceeds from the sale of this app will go to support Trek Medics International and their work to improve emergency medical systems in developing countries through innovative mobile phone technologies. Trek Medics is a 501c3-registered, nonprofit organization, and can be visited at http://trekmedics.org  (EIN 27-4188010).**

*** IMPORTANT (Please Read) ***

The Emergency Calendar creates' any Kelly/Platoon schedule by using the repeating pattern unique to that specific schedule. For that reason, it is important that the User only includes one complete Rotation/Cycle when creating their calendar.

Examples:
2/4 Kelly = 12-day Rotation/Cycle/Tour
3/4 Kelly = 9-day Rotation/Cycle/Tour
4/6 Kelly = 24-day Rotation/Cycle/Tour
48/96 Platoon = 6-day Rotation/Cycle/Tour

Please DO NOT attempt to schedule by week, month or single "go-around", as these do not reflect the pattern that determines each schedule.

*** INSTRUCTIONS *** 
Easiest to visit the website:
http://trekmedics.org/resources/ems-fire-iphone-calendar/

1. MAIN SCREEN

To get to the EDIT CALENDARS view, press the third button at the bottom of the screen.  The pre-existing calendars will show up in a list. 


2. EDIT / ADD CALENDARS

You can delete calendars, change their position by dragging them, or select them to edit.  You can add a new calendar to the list by clicking the ADD CALENDAR button to the bottom right.


3. ADD / CREATE A NEW CALENDAR

To create a custom calendar, first enter the calendar NAME in the top text field.  To customize the schedule, select the START button and then click the start date of the first day of a given cycle. (For example, 2/4 Kelly = 12 total days; 4/6 Kelly = 24 total days; 48/96 Platoon = 6 total days.) Then select the END button and click on the last date of a single, completed cycle. Once you have selected the Start and End Dates, the Start date will be highlighted in green, the End date will be highlighted in red, and the dates in between will be highlighted in yellow.  To configure the appropriate colors for their respective shifts, select a color at the button of the screen and then click on the corresponding dates in the pattern.  Once the colors are filled in, SAVE the calendar. When you return to the original calendar list, you will see it has been added to the list of other calendars.  To view the new calendar, click the VIEW CALENDARS button at the bottom left of the window.  The schedule you made will be repeated throughout the calendar.

This application uses a modified version of kCalendar, which is open source and free to use.  To use kCalendar in your projects, download it from http://code.google.com/p/kcalendar-iphone/.

## Key features

- Custom shift calendar creation
- Supports various Kelly/Platoon combinations
- Easy-to-use interface
- Personalized schedule customization
- Color-coded shift assignments
- Repeat cycle scheduling

## Recent user reviews (10 of 82)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emergency-calendar-ecal/id335486807/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work

*2025-01-09*

Honestly worst ems/ fire calendar out there. A pen and paper is better than this

### 1/5 — Crashes

*2024-06-26*

It just keeps crashing.

### 1/5 — Glitches

*2023-10-23*

app exits when editing 
Not easy to understand 
Don’t waste your money

### 1/5 — Not working

*2020-05-28*

This app does not work properly.  Even after going over the instructions it does not plot my shifts correctly.  It seems to do its own thing.  Wasted 30 minutes trying to build our schedule in it.

**Developer response:** Sorry for your problems. It's not clear what the issue is. Did you try to reach out to support? Please send us an email at info@trekmedics.org and we'd be happy to help.

### 1/5 — Not customizable

*2017-04-17*

The calendars believe.

### 5/5 — LOVE it

*2016-03-21*

Not sure why so many people have issues with this app. Great customer support and it's the only shift calendar for multiple departments.   The best. Hands down.

### 1/5 — Not great

*2015-01-23*

The app needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.

### 1/5 — DON'T waste your money!! Stay away from this app.

*2014-11-20*

This is the third time I've come back to this app to give it a chance. I purchased it, so I hoped it would eventually get straightened out. Not a chance! This app is the worst Fire/EMS Calendar I've ever seen. I won't be back.

### 1/5 — Still not working

*2014-11-03*

Unless I just need some instructions on how to use this app, which I can't find...just trying to create my own shift calendar and it can't even keep a day a certain color without messing up when you move on to the next 48hours, really frustrating.

### 1/5 — Rubbish

*2014-09-14, version 1.10*

Rubbish, doesn't work especially for british fire service

## Frequently asked questions about Emergency Calendar (eCal)

### What does Emergency Calendar (eCal) do?

Emergency Calendar (eCal) allows users to create and display custom shift calendars specifically designed for fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS). It is built for low-tech, easy use, enabling users to personalize their shift schedules, including complex rotations like 2/4, 4/6, or 48/96 Platoon/Kelly combinations.

### How do I create a custom shift schedule?

To create a custom calendar, navigate to the 'EDIT CALENDARS' view. Click 'ADD CALENDAR', enter a NAME, and then select the START and END dates of a single, complete rotation or cycle. You can then assign colors to different shifts by selecting a color and clicking on the corresponding dates in the pattern before saving.

### What is the cost of Emergency Calendar (eCal)?

The application is a paid app. All proceeds from its sale are donated to support Trek Medics International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving emergency medical systems in developing countries through mobile phone technologies.

### What kind of shift patterns does the app support?

The app is designed to support any shift calendar used by emergency services, including various Platoon/Kelly combinations. Examples provided include 2/4 Kelly (12-day cycle), 3/4 Kelly (9-day cycle), 4/6 Kelly (24-day cycle), and 48/96 Platoon (6-day cycle). It's crucial to input only one complete rotation/cycle when creating a calendar.

### Is this app compatible with my device?

While the description doesn't explicitly state compatibility, it mentions being designed for 'low-tech, easy use' and references a video tutorial. It also mentions being a modified version of kCalendar, which is open source. For specific device compatibility, it's recommended to check the app store listing or the developer's website.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.12 — 2018-01-31

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Improved performance with additional functionalities and resolved minor issues.

### 1.11 — 2017-12-15

- UI/UX changes for better experience with iOS10 update.
- Added instructions on the "Edit Calendar" screen

### 1.10 — 2014-08-26

iPad design issues are fixed.

### 1.9 — 2014-08-20

iOS6 support added

### 1.8 — 2014-08-13

UI Improvements: Label function to flag calendar dates as Pay Day, Shift Trade, Overtime etc.

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## More apps by Trek Medics International, Inc

- [Beacon Emergency Dispatch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-emergency-dispatch/id1527881190)

All apps by Trek Medics International, Inc: https://appshunter.io/developer/837847803

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*