Insurance

App for firefighters: equipped for all scenarios

The GVB app enables fire brigades to drive efficiencies, improve communication, and share real-time information. 

Information should be available at all times

The fire brigades in the Canton of Bern use a third-party system to manage all information about personnel, operations, workshops, and vocational training. The system is accessible to just a select few users, which means that colleagues who need information have to approach a system user to get what they need, or manually arrange notifications. Some additional details are available via other GVB data sources, but again these are not always available to the individuals that need them. The objective, therefore, was to improve information flow, enabling everyone – based on their function – to access the information they need in real time.​

Analysis, evaluation, implementation, testing and delivery

The project was organised into several incremental phases: data access and aggregation; provision of information via the app; data collection via the app; and dynamic deployment support. Zühlke supported GVB from the second phase onwards by implementing a web app to enable data provision. Our multidisciplinary teams analysed user needs and requirements, evaluated possible solutions, and developed, implemented, tested, and delivered the app designs. This iterative approach allowed developers to adapt flexibly and quickly in line with ongoing feedback and additional requirements and feedback, integrating this into the development process.​

Theo Buehlmann, Head of prevention and intervention
' Thanks to the collaboration with Zühlke, fire brigades are able to drive efficiencies and digitally transform. The new app provides stakeholders with dependable information to align their organisations and training programmes.​ '
Theo Bühlmann
Head prevention and intervention, GVB

Simplified communication through app

The 'mobile first' approach ensures that fire brigade members have access to crucial information when they are on the road. The various supervisory bodies can access evaluations and reports and view the information that's relevant to them. On call-outs, the app delivers additional support by integrating alert information on the map display. The organisation of workshops and vocational training is now simplified, and additional data entry options mean that the app has replaced several legacy and manual workflows.​