East Sussex Fire & Rescue Services
Enabling automation via Power Apps and a renewed G-Cloud contract.
The Client
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) serves over 800,000 people across East Sussex and the City of Brighton and Hove.
Their mission is to protect lives, property and the environment through prevention, protection and emergency response. ESFRS works closely with other emergency services and delivers safety education and community outreach programmes.
Self-service was a key driver in this project for us, with risks continuously changing, and new risks regularly being discovered, it was important that any new requirements could be added to the form as and when needed.
The Challenge
Under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, ESFRS must carry out site-specific risk information (SSRI) visits to buildings that pose higher risks to firefighters. These include high-rise flats, industrial sites, petrol stations and power stations. Crews need to understand the risks and the engineered safety systems in place, like ventilation, alarms, rising mains and evacuation strategies to respond effectively.
Previously, the SSRI process was manual and slow. Crews made handwritten notes, filled out Word documents and emailed them for approval. Only then could the information be uploaded to the SSRI system and downloaded to Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) on fire appliances. This could take up to seven days which is far too long in a fast-moving emergency environment.
ESFRS knew they needed to modernise. They wanted a solution that aligned with recommendations from the Grenfell Tower inquiry and supported their digital strategy. Working with their long-term ICT partner Telent, they sought a configurable, purpose-built solution. That’s when Telent introduced us.
The Solution
We worked with ESFRS and Telent to design a digital SSRI process built inside Microsoft Dynamics CRM. We also developed a mobile app using Microsoft Power Apps, allowing crews to collect and update risk data onsite. Photos, notes and risk scores are synchronised directly with the CRM system and distributed to MDTs within minutes.
The app works offline too which essential for rural areas with patchy mobile coverage. Once a signal is regained, the data syncs automatically. Approval workflows are built in, so assessments are either auto-approved or flagged for review if risk levels change.
“Self-service was a key driver in this project for us, with risks continuously changing, and new risks regularly being discovered, it was important that any new requirements could be added to the form as and when needed.”
— Station Manager, Operational Learning & Intelligence, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
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The Results
The transformation was immediate. What used to take seven days now takes five minutes which is a huge a 99.9% reduction in processing time. Crews have faster access to accurate risk data, improving safety and decision-making during incidents.
“The tablet app has been developed by Node4 using Microsoft Power Apps and deployed by Telent. It is particularly important to the ESFRS teams as we cover many rural areas. The information being available offline where there is no mobile signal was essential.”
— Derek Hamilton, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
“With Node4 and Telent’s combined technical expertise, we could see exactly what we could achieve by modernising our processes. Working in life-threatening situations daily, it’s important that we are working as quickly and efficiently as possible – Node4 has been invaluable in helping us deliver a change in technology that really makes a difference.”
— Mark Matthews, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
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The Node4 Difference
Our teams don’t just deliver tech. They listen, collaborate and build solutions that work in the real world. By combining our expertise with Telent’s deep understanding of ESFRS’s needs, we created a solution that’s fast, flexible and future-ready.
“This solution clearly demonstrates the value of the long-term relationship and deep understanding we have with the team at East Sussex. We take real pride in enabling the digital transformation of these key processes, replacing paper forms to improve efficiency and ensure that the latest risk information is available within minutes.”
— Barry Zielinski, Operations and Services Director, Telent