When every second counts, quick access to accurate data can mean the difference between life and death. Emergency responders rely on real-time, actionable information to make split-second decisions. Whether it’s deploying firefighters to a wildfire, coordinating search and rescue operations, or ensuring ambulances arrive as fast as possible, the flow of data is critical. But managing and integrating data from multiple sources, while ensuring it is timely and reliable, can be a huge challenge. This is where FME data integration workflows step in to revolutionize the way emergency services operate, helping to save time—and lives.
- Emergency services use FME to generate real-time, actionable information with automated data integration workflows. Learn more about FME for public safety
Here are 7 real examples of how data integration is improving public safety around the world.
1. Improving emergency response data accuracy
Alberta Health Services (AHS) faced challenges in managing system data standards for emergency dispatch maps, which support 911 calls. Data inaccuracies during map updates created significant delays, often requiring a month to manually correct thousands of errors, causing bottlenecks. To address this, AHS implemented FME to automate data validation using specific business rules. Now, errors are identified and corrected daily, improving the speed and reliability of the map update process. This has led to seamless map updates, quicker response times, and enhanced emergency response efforts across the province.
2. Delivering real-time, location-based updates
Ignis Technologies set out to revolutionize firefighting intelligence by improving real-time information flow and communication among firefighters. Their innovative app, powered by FME, integrates data from over 25 sources to provide wildland firefighters with real-time, location-based updates on fire conditions, incidents, and weather patterns. The app supports firefighters through all stages of fire management, from early positioning to extended attacks, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making. FME’s data integration capabilities streamlined the development process, allowing Ignis to import and update critical data within 30 seconds, shaving three months off their time-to-market. Ignis’s success showcases the transformative power of delivering real-time, actionable intelligence to improve public safety.
3. Automating data extraction, processing, and reporting
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS), the largest non-metropolitan fire service in England, improved the efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness of recording ambulance driver support data during COVID-19 by automating their data processes. Previously, the manual system required crew members to manually update Excel spreadsheets, which was time-consuming and error-prone. Using FME Flow, DSFRS automated data extraction from emails into a centralized database, reducing errors and processing time for region-wide reports. This project not only improved data governance and efficiency, but also set a blueprint for further automation across the organization.
4. Generating live map updates from a lead-tracking database
The City of Oshkosh’s Child Abduction Response Team (CART) faced delays in deploying critical information due to manual mapping processes during missing child incidents, which compromised response times. To address this, they implemented FME to automate the mapping of incidents, leads, and assets, connecting their lead tracking database to ArcGIS Online. This automation reduced the time to update maps from minutes to just 4.2 seconds, providing CART with real-time information, enabling faster decision-making, and allowing the GIS team to focus on tasks requiring human judgment. The solution significantly improved the speed and accuracy of deploying search and rescue resources.
5. Integrating datasets to create a dynamic map of city-sourced addresses
Santa Clara County, with a population of 2 million, improved emergency response times by creating a dynamic map of city-sourced addresses for their 911 dispatch system. Using FME, they integrated 17 city datasets and public safety layers, identifying issues like duplicate addresses and generating multiple output formats. This resulted in the Regional Address Map for Public Safety (RAMPS), enabling cities to contribute updated addresses quarterly. The new system increased known addresses by 50%, providing more accurate and timely emergency services while laying the foundation for Next Generation 911. The internal map app, averaging 200 daily visits, demonstrates its reliability and importance in county operations.
6. Automating hazard monitoring and notifications
Powerlink Queensland, which operates a high-voltage electricity transmission network for 4 million customers in Eastern Queensland, implemented an automated Emergency Management system using FME to handle bushfires, cyclones, floods, thunderstorms, and earthquakes. The system consolidates infrastructure data, monitors severe weather events, performs impact analysis, and delivers informative reports when infrastructure is at risk. Automation reduced the time spent on emergency event handling from days to hours by running 2,500 daily jobs to monitor, notify, and generate decision-making maps in accessible formats, allowing stakeholders to efficiently handle critical situations.
7. Optimizing travel routes for emergency vehicles
London Fire Brigade (LFB), one of the largest firefighting organizations globally, sought to improve efficiency by optimizing travel times for its staff and fire stations. Previously, staff manually queried travel times, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. With FME and the help of 1Spatial, LFB automated 12,000 route queries, reducing processing time by 95% and eliminating manual errors. FME also supports various data management tasks across the organization, allowing LFB to streamline processes, share data with stakeholders, and support local initiatives. As a result, FME has become integral to LFB’s operations, empowering data-driven decision-making and improving emergency response efficiency.
By leveraging FME for data integration and automation, emergency services worldwide are transforming their operations to be more efficient, accurate, and responsive. These solutions enable faster decision-making, real-time updates, and improved resource management, ultimately enhancing public safety during critical situations.
