Falck Releases An Innovative Call Out Solution, Falck Fire Alert For Its Part-Time Firefighters In Denmark

Falck (Falck A/S · Falck-Huset) has launched a new and innovative call out solution for its part-time firefighters in Denmark.

Based on the results, Falck will explore if this solution can be valuable to further expand into other parts of the business, by identifying possible customer benefits, on a case-by-case basis, on how to increase safety levels, as well as improve efficiency.

Falck Fire Alert

With the Falck Fire Alert, the company offers an intelligent, cost-efficient and qualitative way of alerting part-time firefighters, in order to ensure that the right resources required at the scene are alerted and not the large groups that were previously called out.

The innovative Falck Fire Alert notifies the part-time firefighters via the mobile data network

The innovative Falck Fire Alert notifies the part-time firefighters via the mobile data network, rather than the radio network that has been in use since the mid-70s, thereby offering a quicker, more flexible and up-to-date solution. Furthermore, the solution has been built on a platform that makes it easy to adjust and develop in order to ensure a state-of-the-art dispatch system.

Simple user interface and Geo-fencing feature

The smart-pager only weighs 172 grams and is both drop- and waterproof. It has a simple user interface and includes Geo-fencing, which can determine whether a firefighter is within the required 5 minutes distance before they are called in.

The smart pager is mainly developed by and for firefighters and introduces a change of culture in indicating the firefighter’s availability as a part-timer, which means that they are participating in the response when alerted.

Enhanced engagement with firefighters

This increases engagement and also empowers the firefighters to set their own availability, as the alerting algorithm considerably increases the chances that once alerted, a firefighter will indeed be part of an emergency response.

Max Andersen, Falck’s Managing Director for Fire in Denmark, said “This new solution has been developed over the last 2 years, in a close collaboration between Fire Service Rota, TDC, Samsung and not to mention our own firefighters. It is a one-of-a-kind system, which ensures that we in Falck set the bar for future firefighting.” 

Increased quality assurance

An additional benefit for the customer is the faster alerting of special or scarce resources and vehicles

For Falck’s customers, the new device means increased quality assurance, as it guarantees firefighters’ presence in an emergency response situation. It also means faster re-alerting, after the initial primary alert, with up to 30 seconds faster than with the current radio network.

It also delivers clear insight into coverage availability, meaning it will show how active part-time firefighter coverage is during the days, evenings, weekends, holidays, etc. Furthermore, an additional benefit for the customer is the faster alerting of special or scarce resources and vehicles, as the new device gives continuous insight into resource availability, which means less re-alerting will be needed to get the right crew at the right time.

Intelligent call out solution

Dries Van Dongen, Falck’s Vice President (VP) of Fire Services, said “We are very proud to launch Falck Fire Alert in our Danish fire business. We have been involved in fighting fires and saving peoples’ lives in Denmark for over a hundred years, and we want to continue to do so for another hundred, therefore, we are investing in this solution for the future, enabling us to better service our customers, more easily connect and collaborate with our employees, as well as deliver a better business for Falck.”

Falck is a first-mover in the market to adopt this intelligent solution and the smart pager will be rolled out to all 82 fire stations, under the Falck control center, within 2021, allowing more than 1400 firefighters to benefit from the new call-unit.