Attunda Fire Department

Smartsign extinguishes Attunda Fire Department’s internal communication problems

Fire prevention is a firefighter’s key duty

Working at a fire department is one of the most important jobs you can have — even if most of the work is about educating the public about how to prevent fires. Firefighters visit retirement homes and schools, and even have a fire theatre for the youngest, to avert the worst scenario. When a fire breaks out, someone else is always first at the location, which is why they do preventive work in the first place.

“The more everyone knows, the better the chance of a fire not occurring,” says Anna Granlund, head of internal communication at Attunda Fire Department.But having the correct information is equally as crucial within the fire department.

Attunda Fire Department consists of six fire stations with firefighters working around-the-clock shifts between long periods off. This makes it hard to ensure you have reached everyone with important information.

“Firefighters often work double shifts and then take time off for recovery, leaving me without the chance to talk to them for weeks”

Fire prevention is a firefighter’s key duty

Working at a fire department is one of the most important jobs you can have — even if most of the work is about educating the public about how to prevent fires. Firefighters visit retirement homes and schools, and even have a fire theatre for the youngest, to avert the worst scenario. When a fire breaks out, someone else is always first at the location, which is why they do preventive work in the first place.

“The more everyone knows, the better the chance of a fire not occurring,” says Anna Granlund, head of internal communication at Attunda Fire Department.But having the correct information is equally as crucial within the fire department.

Attunda Fire Department consists of six fire stations with firefighters working around-the-clock shifts between long periods off. This makes it hard to ensure you have reached everyone with important information.

“Firefighters often work double shifts and then take time off for recovery, leaving me without the chance to talk to them for weeks”

The Challenge

There is a lot of information flowing at a fire department. The alarm screen is, of course, the most important one, receiving all emergency calls. However, there are many different screens and channels that the staff need to keep track of, and not everyone can keep up with all the feeds – all the time.

Information about roadblocks, traffic jams, and weather can help better decide which route to take when dispatching. News from the intranet and educational and seasonal information ensure everyone knows what’s happening. There's a lot of important news coming through these channels that employees shouldn't miss, but sometimes it happens. Something that has been a problem at Attunda Fire Department – until now!

“At the fire department, managing all the information is challenging”

The Solution

“I heard about digital signage through a friend and then looked into different solutions. Smartsign stood out as a solid partner with a very flexible platform.” Attunda settled for two screens on each station and two extra screens for visitors at their headquarters in Sollentuna. The screens are placed where people meet, like in the lunchroom and recreational areas, ensuring they reach as many as possible.“

Smartsign’s startup education is appreciated

“I got a startup education from Frida and Kalle at Smartsign, which helped me get going fast. A few months later, we are implementing SharePoint information on the screens. I’m eager to develop this even further; I want to be a superuser, but I’m still learning the ropes”, says Anna, the epicentre of information in the organisation.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so we take one step at a time”, she continues, explaining how they see this as a long-term solution that will scale up and grow with their needs.

“I like that I can give users access to specific parts of the layout. That way, we can share responsibilities
without me worrying about mistakes”

Multiple people can decide the screen’s content

The effect so far is very positive amongst both employees and visitors. What works best, says Anna, is content that is close to the individual, things that affect their day at work. However, Anna is also experimenting with different ways of getting attention for all information. And she’s not alone in updating the screens; she has assigned parts of the information to be edited by colleagues.

“I like that I can give users access to specific parts of the layout. That way, we can share responsibilities
without me worrying about mistakes”

Multiple people can decide the screen’s content

The effect so far is very positive amongst both employees and visitors. What works best, says Anna, is content that is close to the individual, things that affect their day at work. However, Anna is also experimenting with different ways of getting attention for all information. And she’s not alone in updating the screens; she has assigned parts of the information to be edited by colleagues.