Full Case Study
Client Background:
This fire authority in the Pacific Northwest serves a rapidly growing community in a suburban area with diverse building types, including residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Despite their dedication to safety and preparedness, they were struggling with aged pre-planning methods with outdated information, relying on cumbersome PDFs, static maps on walls, and bulky binders to manage critical information.
Challenge:
The fire authority faced several challenges with their existing pre-planning practices:
- Limited Accessibility: Firefighters had difficulty accessing pre-planning data quickly, especially during emergencies when every second counts
- Inefficient Updates: Updating paper-based documents was time-consuming and prone to errors, leading to outdated information and potential safety hazards
- Lack of Interactivity: Static maps and PDFs lacked interactivity and dynamic features, hindering situational awareness and decision-making
- Poor Collaboration: Sharing pre-planning information with mutual aid partners or other departments was inefficient and often involved manual processes
Solution:
To address these challenges, they decided to invest in Intterra’s ActivePlan tool, a cloud-based software solution designed to streamline pre-incident data management and enhance operational readiness. Additionally, the fire authority decided to integrate their Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and leverage existing data for enhanced awareness.
Implementation:
The implementation process involved the following steps:
- Data Migration: The fire authority worked closely with Intterra’s Customer Success team to migrate existing pre-planning data from PDFs, maps, and binders into the digital platform as well as integrate their CAD system.
- Training: Firefighters and staff received comprehensive training on using the Intterra platform, including data entry, mapping, and collaboration features
- Customization: Intterra’s platform was customized to meet the fire authorities specific needs, including tailored data fields, symbols, map overlays, and reporting capabilities
- Integration: Intterra’s ActivePlan pre-planning tool was seamlessly integrated with the fire agency’s existing workflows, standard operations procedures, and systems, ensuring compatibility and data consistency
Results:
The adoption of Intterra’s ActivePlan pre-planning tool yielded significant benefits for the fire authority:
- Improved Accessibility: Firefighters can now access pre-planning data instantly from any device with connectivity, whether in the fire station or on-site at an incident
- Efficient Updates: Updating pre-planning information is now quick and straightforward, ensuring that responders always have access to the most accurate and up-to-date data
- Enhanced Situational Awareness: Interactive mapping features provide firefighters with dynamic visualizations of building layouts, access points, and hazard locations, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making during emergencies
- Seamless Collaboration: Sharing pre-planning information with mutual aid partners and other departments is now efficient and secure, fostering collaboration and interoperability
- Cost Savings: By eliminating the need for paper-based documents and reducing reliance on manual processes, the fire authority has realized cost savings and operational efficiencies
Conclusion:
Intterra’s ActivePlan pre-planning tool has transformed their approach to emergency preparedness, moving away from outdated methods towards a modern, digital solution. With improved accessibility, efficiency, and collaboration capabilities, the fire authority is better equipped to protect their community and respond effectively to emergencies.
