5 Reasons your Fire and Safety Business Needs a Fire Inspection Software

The fire and safety business is an evergreen service that never goes out of relevance. But fire safety technology is constantly changing. 

Technology is revolutionizing the fire safety industry.

Fire fighting has come a long way from the water and sand buckets of the 18th century. Firefighting 4.0, which syncs with industry 4.0, co-opts AI, IoT, virtual reality, and other emerging technologies. 

Sensors have been integral to firefighting systems for a long. The latest AI-powered intelligent sensors: 

• Analyzing sensor readings from motors, pumps, diesel engines, water reservoirs, and pressure switches. For instance, audio and vibration analytics detects leakages in gas pipelines. The latest systems activate firefighting systems when the analysis suggests danger. 
• Predict the health of firefighting systems, enabling preventive maintenance.
• Make a risk analysis to determine the firefighting equipment needed on the premises.

Robots improve accessibility. 

• Firefighting robots emit high-pressure fire jets and enter dense smoke and high-temperature areas. 
• Remote-controlled drones drop potassium permanganate “dragon eggs” to ignite fire breaks. Firefighters can clear the area to limit damage and also enter safely. The latest heavy-duty eight-rotor drone has a flight altitude of 2000 feet and carries 40 gallons of firefighting foams and several fire extinguisher bombs. 

Technology helps fire operators improve efficiency. 

• App-based control locators guide fire teams to fire locations in crowded or remote areas. 
• Satellite tracking finds extensive use in fighting wildfires. 
• The latest narrow-bodied electric fire trucks can navigate narrow paths. 
• Virtual Reality training systems improve the competency of firefighters. 

Blockchain streamlines communication among contractors, equipment manufacturers, insurance companies, regulators, and customers. Communications become easy, instant, and tamper-proof. For instance, AMC providers may access the blocks about instruction manuals from manufacturers.

Read more: Why Should Fire Safety Providers Sign Up with ReachOut Suite FSM

The virtues of fire inspection software

Applying the latest technologies requires field service management software. 

• Stores the data generated by the sensors in the cloud and enable integrated workflows to control access to such data. 
• Allows service businesses to offer functions packaged with the latest technology. For instance, fire technicians may access sensor readings through smartphone apps. 
• Enable electronic data collection and auto-submission of forms and reports. Managers may use these forms to structure workflows, and inspectors may use them to conduct productive audits. Automated backend processing eliminates clerical tasks.

Top features of fire inspection software

Top fire inspection software comes with the following features:

1. Streamlined workflows and reduced administrative clutter

Fire inspection software eliminates administrative clutter from field operations. The software’s work order management capabilities create tickets for every request or automated alert. The fire technicians may create quotes as applicable. Back-end APIs pull information from databases to ensure free information flow. It enables dynamic quotes with applicable discounts. On approval, the quotes convert to a work order.

Schedulers assign work orders to fire agents. The software may even set schedules at pre-fixed intervals, automating routine maintenance.

The algorithm considers complex permutations and combinations, such as:

• The impact of work assignment on the field agents’ other jobs, 
• The urgency or priority level of the job.
• Field agent’s availability and company working hours.

… and other relevant factors.

2. Mobility

Fire and safety inspectors may perform many tasks through the mobile apps offered by their fire inspection software. They may:

• Receive ongoing project updates. Notifications keep field agents and other stakeholders updated on changes.

• Get information relevant to their projects. Users may access information relevant to their tasks easily. They may access
  • A copy of the work order containing work specifications, 
  • Technical manuals such as fire codes, 
  • Service history of the fire installations

… and other relevant details. 

• Track time. The mobile app leverages the smartphone’s geolocational capabilities to enable real-time tracking. Timesheets also get automated.

• Access inspection forms and checklists. Field agents may download relevant inspection forms and checklists and capture electronic data. Electronic data collection improves accuracy. For instance, field agents may use the mobile app to scan the barcode of a firefighting installation and download the correct form. The app auto-populates form fields to the extent possible. Inspectors may also add images and videos to form fields, making the reports richer. 

• Collect electronic signatures as proof of work completion.

• Generate invoices and collect payments.

3. Streamlined inspections

Inspections are critical to maintaining a functioning safety infrastructure. For instance, the installation becomes useless if a fire extinguisher does not work when a fire breaks out. The establishment suffers enormous losses.

Fire inspection software allows customized audit and inspection forms. Field inspectors may download the right forms for their tasks using their mobile apps. Structured checklists enable managers to route the workflow in specific directions. 

Paperless digital forms simplify data collection. The backend makes calls from different databases through APIs. Electronic data gathering, including electronic signatures, makes real-time reporting easy and enhances productivity. Field inspectors may embed images and videos into reports, offering deeper insights.

Read more: How Samsung Could Have Avoided the Note7 Blast with Quality Control and Facility Inspections

How ReachOut helps

ReachOut field management software is the best suite to leverage the latest technologies. The software streamlines new installations, safety audits, compliance inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs, and the associated administration tasks. 

Life-saving fire safety equipment should always be at peak performance levels. ReachOut helps fire and safety businesses keep tabs on service requirements. Inspectors performing routine checks may identify something that needs follow-up action. Or customers may make maintenance or upgrade requests. Reach Out suite generates work orders with detailed records in all these situations.

ReachOut’s intelligent scheduling enables optimal work allocation. Easy calendar views offer complete views and enable easy work allocation through drag-and-drop interfaces. For complex projects, the scheduler may assign work to a team and fix individual responsibilities for team members. Integrated maps aid field agents in reaching their work site quickly, without hold-ups.

ReachOut enables managers to choose from a wide range of styled forms, offering unmatched flexibility. ReachOut also allows custom forms that facilitate automated data generation. These digital forms work offline and sync when the user gets back online. The forms marketplace offers hundreds of ready-made forms suitable for any occasion. Managers may also upload custom forms that match their pen and paper forms. Stylized forms may also co-opt branding elements. ReachOut also enables the instant generation of reports in customizable formats. The robust backend capability, with high data security, is the icing on the cake.

Technology aids fire and safety management. ReachOut fire inspection software enables the optimal use of technology to detect threats and prevent dangers. The suite allows fire and safety operators to realize a competitive advantage. 

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