Vodafone helps out with fire engines

26 November 2019

Emergency One was founded in 1989 in Ayrshire, Scotland and is now a key manufacturer of fire, rescue and emergency vehicles and rescue services across the nation.

Through its numerous partnerships with several fire and rescue services, Emergency One prides itself on listening and responding to the operational needs of firefighters.

It works to create safer and more reliable firefighting equipment by supplying sensors, wireless connectivity and the internet of things (IoT), through which everyday appliances can connect to internet.

Emergency One uses Vodafone IoT technology to power its telematics and tagging innovations, which it says have “revolutionised” the capabilities of fire services.

There were a number of challenges that needed to be taken ahead.

The first was the need to track fire engines, monitor fuel and water efficiency as well as to ensure equipment is available and operational.

Second, there was a need to enable firefighters to access Wi-Fi and stream fire footage or issue public safety warnings while out in the field.

The other two challenges were to prevent vehicle downtime while repairs are made as well as make cost savings and optimise efficiency in the engineering and repair schedule.

Vodafone’s IoT-enabled SIM cards were installed in fire engines to allow them to stay connected to the internet and Emergency One can now track its fleet at all times with RFID-tagging and telematics systems.

Furthermore, with IoT SIMs, Emergency One can remotely assess the status of equipment, predict and repair faults, monitor water levels and more.

WiFi-connected fire engines make it easier for firefighters to communicate critical safety messages to the public.

Remote problem-solving results in cost savings for fire and rescue services and less downtime for vehicles.

Global SIMs also mean Emergency One can expand into the international market assured that the vehicles will stay connected.