About
Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Services deliver emergency response, prevention, and protection to over 1.4 million people. Cambridgeshire covers the cities of Peterborough and Cambridge and surrounding areas, while Bedfordshire spans 123,500 hectares, covering Bedford, Luton and surrounding areas and both with rapidly growing populations. Operating a shared ICT service across 42 sites, the ICT Shared Service supports the technology that keeps both fire services running.
The Challenge
In 2020, the shared ICT service identified an opportunity to enhance how it supported Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Services on a unified platform. With over 1,300 tickets a month raised by firefighters, support staff, and senior leadership, the team needed a solution that could scale with demand and adapt to the operational needs of both services.
Key requirements included:
- Clear separation between services
The ability to manage Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire independently, with tailored configurations for services, views, and workflows. - Greater visibility and context
Improved access to ticket information and attachments to better prepare engineers before dispatch. - Mobile access across 42 locations
Field teams needed the flexibility to manage and close tickets on-site using mobile devices. - Insight into recurring issues
Enhanced tracking of repeated faults in key operational assets, such as pagers used to mobilise on-call firefighters.
The ICT team began looking for a modern, scalable platform, one that could support mobile and site-based functions, streamline internal operations, and evolve alongside the needs of both fire services.
The Solution
HaloITSM was initially rolled out within the ICT team to manage incoming tickets, improve visibility, and streamline operations. The team set up separate portals for Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, with tailored access, services, and automation to suit each service. This meant staff only saw the data relevant to their role, reducing confusion and improving accuracy.
"We had a specific request that they couldn't see the data from the other service... We've got separate tenants within Halo. It’s really, really easy having two clients within the one system”
- Matt Stebbings, ICT Support Manager
Engineers receive clear, detailed requests, including attachments, before being dispatched. Combined with the Halo mobile app, this allows staff to update and close tickets directly from site.
"Having the mobile app to be able to pick up their iPad, pick up their phone and close tickets on the go has improved how quickly we can respond to issues.”
- Ryan Forman, Property Maintenance & Service Manager
Crucially, the team can identify recurring faults across key operational equipment, such as pagers, which are vital for alerting and mobilising on-call firefighters, enabling proactive maintenance and quick escalation when needed
After seeing the improvements in ICT, other departments joined the platform, starting with the Property team In Cambridgeshire in 2022 and the Business Support Team in Bedfordshire in 2023. Without needing to rebuild from scratch, they were able to adapt existing workflows and configure their own services, enabling them to track scheduled maintenance, reactive works, and asset data all in one place.
The Results
The shared ICT service has seen major improvements in efficiency, visibility, and responsiveness across both fire services.
Key benefits include:
- Faster response and resolution times. Engineers receive clearer, more detailed tickets and can manage work on the go.
- Improved mobile working. Teams across 42 locations now use the mobile app to close tickets without returning to base.
- Stronger asset visibility. Recurring faults, especially in critical equipment that helps frontline teams stay connected, are now easier to track and act on
- Simple expansion to other departments. The platform offers the flexibility to support additional teams, with configurations that can scale in line with organisational needs
Looking ahead, the team is working closely with Halo to explore new features and support additional departmental needs, ensuring the right teams have the tools they need, when they need them. As adoption grows, Halo is becoming a core part of how both services operate.