Meet Alachua County Fire Rescue
For the emergency management professionals at Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) in Florida, readiness is a constant state. Serving over a quarter-million citizens and visitors in Florida, the department handles everything from daily medical emergencies to coordinating large-scale disaster responses. To manage the complexities of their work, they needed a platform that was as reliable for routine tasks as it was for critical incidents. They found that solution in monday.com.
The Challenge: Limited Emergency Response Software
In the fast-paced world of emergency management, there's no time for cumbersome software or information gaps. Traditional emergency management systems are often complex and used so infrequently that they become a hurdle during a crisis. This was the reality for the Alachua County team, who struggled with a legacy system that was overly complicated and created unnecessary manual work.
The team needed a single, intuitive platform that could streamline both their daily workflows and their emergency operations, ensuring that when a crisis hits, the technology feels like a natural extension of their work, not another obstacle to overcome.
The Solution: A Flexible Platform
The search for a unified solution led them to monday.com, which was already being used by other county departments for day-to-day work. The team quickly saw the potential and adopted the platform to manage their core processes.
What began as a tool for daily task management evolved into the backbone of their emergency response strategy. They created a virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on monday.com, transforming it into an always-on coordination hub. This centralized platform allows them to manage everything from hurricane preparedness and public health coordination to daily staffing and resource allocation.
Here’s how they did it:
- Intuitive and Accessible for Teams on the Go: In an emergency, simplicity is key. The team uses monday.com forms, accessible through a secure section of the county website, to allow field personnel to quickly log hours or submit resource requests without needing to log into a complex system. This direct line to the command center ensures that information flows seamlessly from the ground to the decision-makers.
- Centralized Data for a Clear Picture: The virtual EOC workspace on monday.com centralizes all critical information, including activity logs, file libraries, resource requests, and significant updates. This single source of truth eliminates information silos and gives every team member, from field operatives to executive leadership, a real-time view of the situation.
- Foresight to stay grounded and know what’s coming next: In a crisis, maintaining focus is crucial. The team built a workflow to track their "Operational Rhythm," using calendar views to see what's coming next and ensure they stay ahead of the curve. Dashboards with countdown widgets help the team stay grounded and focused on the next critical task, whether it's an upcoming briefing or a shift change.
The Impact
By using the same platform for both daily operations and emergency response, Alachua County has built a more resilient and agile team. This focus on operational excellence not only improves service delivery but also builds public trust, demonstrating that the county is prepared for whatever comes next.
“When you’re in a heightened state of alert and experiencing adrenaline rushes in a crisis like this one, your cognitive abilities are diminished. We can easily see how many hours, minutes, and seconds are left to the next meeting so we can make the most use of our time in between.” - Director of Emergency Management
To learn more about how monday.com can help your agency build a more resilient and efficient operation, explore monday.com for the Public Sector.
