Emergency services get ACT together
Emergency services get ACT together
The disparate information systems for the emergency services in the Australian Capital Territory have been united into a single portal to provide easier access for the fire brigade, ambulance service, the State emergency service and the rural fire service.
The portal, build and implemented by Plumtree, will be the single desktop for the emergency services, providing a common workspace through which staff can access all IT applications and information repositories.
It aims to maximise ease of use, minimise training requirements and ensure that IT skills are transferable, so that if staff move between related agencies in the ACT, the IT skills they have gained move with them.
Peter Dunn, the ACT emergency services commissioner, said: "Information sharing is something we have put on top of the list. The information that Emergency Services requires already exists in different formats in the different agencies, it's a matter of bringing it together in a central decision support environment so people can make more informed decisions.
"Plumtree came to us with a highly professional and consultative approach, understood our needs very well and was able to demonstrate a solid track record for getting the job done on time and on budget."
The ACT Emergency Services Authority believes that the portal will not only improve communications and co-ordination, but will also provide better operational efficiency and deliver a central place for administrative tasks like scheduling leave, rather than requiring that each of the four agencies do it themselves.
Collaboration features have already been included into the portal, including community portlets, community discussion groups, sub-committees and project groups, so information can be shared broadly within groups, communities, or individuals.
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