The emergency services operate in high-pressure environments where the availability and reliability of equipment can mean the difference between life and death.
Asset management software enables rapid deployment when emergency strikes, ensuring that all resources – including vehicles – are available and in optimal working condition. It also supports the strict record-keeping requirements the emergency services must adhere to.
Essentially, it’s like having a trusted colleague that ensures all personnel have what they need in order to carry out their life-saving roles.
In this article, we’ll cover how organisations can benefit from an asset tracking system and the key features of our solution, Idhammar Response.
Why Do the Emergency Services Need Asset Management Software?
Emergency services asset management presents numerous challenges.
Visibility and Accuracy
Tracking Movable Assets
The emergency services deal with a vast array of movable assets, from vehicles and medical equipment to communication devices and PPE. The ability to track all of these assets in real-time can be a logistical nightmare without a robust system. Also, assets can be easily misplaced, leading to inefficiencies and delays during critical operations.
Busy Environments
The busy and often chaotic environments in which the emergency services operate make asset tracking particularly challenging. Assets are handled by different personnel, are subject to varying conditions and, after an incident, they may end up in the wrong vehicle. This type of environment requires a system that can keep up with the constant changes.
Accurate Record-Keeping
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of each asset’s service history, usage, and current status is vital. Inaccurate or incomplete data can lead to poor decision-making, increased downtime, higher operational costs, and compliance breaches.
Maintenance and Inspection Management
Compliance with Regulations
The emergency services must adhere to strict regulatory standards and ensure that all equipment is regularly inspected and maintained. Again, failing to track and document these activities accurately can have serious legal and operational repercussions.
Maintenance Scheduling
Coordinating maintenance and inspections for a large fleet of vehicles and an extensive equipment inventory requires meticulous scheduling. Any lapse in this process can lead to equipment failure at crucial moments, jeopardising the safety and effectiveness of emergency response efforts.
Asset Lifecycle Management
An asset management tool streamlines asset lifecycle management, further reducing the risk of equipment failure during critical operations.
Resource Allocation
The emergency services need to ensure that the right equipment is available at the right locations. Inefficient tracking can lead to misallocation of resources, where some areas may have surplus equipment while others face shortages. This imbalance can critically affect response times and service effectiveness.
Cost Management
Inefficient asset tracking often results in unnecessary expenditures, such as purchasing duplicate equipment or paying for expedited shipping of urgently needed items.
This is inconvenient at the best of times, but during an era of supply chain challenges and inflation, it’s significantly more problematic. For example, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service spoke about the financial pressures they faced after the war in Ukraine began. A handheld hose branch had increased from £300 to £800 and firefighter gloves had risen from £42 to £97.
Effective asset management solutions provide real-time visibility into inventory levels. This enables better resource planning and reduces unnecessary expenses; crucial when budgets are already stretched.
What Are the Benefits of Cloud-Based Asset Tracking Software?
Idhammar Response, our cloud-based asset management solution, is designed specifically for the emergency services. It provides unmatched efficiency in tracking and maintaining vehicles and equipment, allowing inventory managers, workshop staff, station personnel, and firefighters to streamline their workload and ensure equipment is always fit for purpose.
The benefits of cloud-based solutions include real-time updates, remote access, and enhanced data security, all of which contribute to maintaining operational readiness and compliance.
Here are some of the key features of Idhammar Response.
Asset Tracking
Thanks to the asset tracking module, asset data (such as the service record and inspection regime) always stays with the asset. This prevents the loss of information that could occur when an item is removed from a fire appliance – or replaced with another item.
In essence, our software removes any uncertainty from the equation, ensuring the inspection history for each asset is always available and never mixed up with the records of another asset. This promotes compliance and prevents missed inspections.
Inventory Management
Our robust inventory control features ensure the right equipment is always in the right place at the right time. Users can keep an inventory of all equipment associated with vehicles, locations, or personnel. The system also identifies items that need re-ordering and manages purchase orders. This level of control reduces the risk of delays in critical situations.
Planned Maintenance Scheduling and Work Management
Our solution keeps you abreast of inspection and maintenance schedules for vehicles and other assets based on time or mileage parameters. It also prioritises maintenance tasks according to their urgency.
From a centralised system, you can manage work orders, vehicle and equipment replacements, RFL renewals, lease programs, MOT/DOTs, and other annual tests. What’s more, users can log defects through an intuitive web form. This centralisation provides comprehensive oversight.
Remote Asset Management with Idhammar Connect
Mobile access is another benefit of cloud based software. This capability is especially helpful when operating in areas with poor Wi-Fi signals, ensuring issues are promptly addressed – no matter what.
Our application, Idhammar Connect, allows personnel to access the system via mobile devices so they can report defects and perform and record inspections and inventories on the go.
Consider post-incident equipment checks. As mentioned, equipment can easily end up on a different vehicle after an incident; conducting immediate checks ensures that all equipment is where it should be, ready for the next call.
Reporting
An article by the IAFC listed data as one of five ‘wicked’ issues that fire services must address. Analysing data not only helps improves operations but can provide insights that inform broader policies.
Our software includes comprehensive reporting features, including custom reports. You can easily generate reports on inventory, vehicle downtime, and the entire lifecycle of a vehicle. Additional reports for defect analysis, and cost, resource, and performance management provide valuable insights for continuous improvement.
Why Choose Idhammar’s Asset Management System?
To summarise, here are the key benefits:
- Maximum uptime: Preventive maintenance scheduling ensures equipment is always ready, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.
- Availability: With all assets fully functioning – in the right location at the right time – delays are prevented.
- Centralised management: Manage assets from any location using a centralised system, with remote access also possible via the mobile app.
- Automation: Automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing up time for more critical activities.
- Inventory management: Always keep the optimal amount of stock in the right locations.
- Comprehensive reporting: Extensive reporting capabilities provide valuable insights.
- Data security: Our cloud based implementation ensures data integrity and security.
- Easy implementation: The software can be up and running within 3-6 months.
- Training and support: Post-implementation, we offer training, project management and consultancy services, and a knowledge base where users can learn from our internal experts and other users.
Conclusion
From everyday operations to sudden, unexpected, large-scale crises, it’s essential that the emergency services are always prepared. This means ensuring vehicles are in optimal working order and contain all the equipment necessary to respond to incidents, despite the challenging and chaotic working environment they must deal with.
The best asset management software makes this possible, supporting rapid deployment. The real-time visibility and mobile access provided by cloud based software gives helps personnel address issues in the moment. Preventive maintenance scheduling reduces downtime, and its impeccable record-keeping features ensure accuracy and compliance.
To see for yourself how Idhammar Response boosts operational efficiency and improves response times, contact us today to request a demo.
