SDIS 31: Digital signage for internal communication

Providing identical access to information by all employees through digital signage

The departmental fire and emergency services of Haute Garonne (SDIS 31) has 2,342 firefighters (62% of whom are volunteers), spread over 37 fire and emergency stations across the area. SDIS 31 takes preventive and protective action in the area of firefighting, and also provides emergency services to the community. SDIS 31 additionally employs 163 clerical, technical and specialized staff who support emergency workers in their tasks and enable them to carry out their duties as efficiently as possible.

Adoption of an effective communication system for office and field response personnel alike

One of the requirements of the Communication Department of SDIS 31 was to find an efficient way to simultaneously reach out to all its employees working in over forty sites. Some of these are in offices, while others spend most of their time responding to calls.

That is the backdrop against which SDIS 31 has purchased some thirty screens, distributed between the headquarters and fire and emergency stations. The screens, placed in strategic locations on each site, allow all important messages to be broadcast to everyone. Currently, messaging has two dimensions: firstly area-wide information, and secondly local information that is specific to the station.

To that end, the Communication Department was looking for a solution that would allow it to keep control over all broadcasting points, at the same time allowing local staff to be as independent as possible in their messaging.

Telelogos Media4Display digital signage software easily met the needs of SDIS 31.  It was quick and easy to put in place. The Web console allows users to remotely manage the thirty displays, both to plan the various messages and for their more functional aspects. For example, the screens are set up to be on from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in office buildings and training facilities, but they only go off at 10 p.m. in fire stations, where people work over longer periods.

Targets have been set up to supervise those settings in a grouped manner. Targets also allow the Communication Department to issue broadcasting rights to the person in charge of a fire station, restricted to the screen in that station.

Centrally managed area-wide communication

From the Media4Display console, the Communication Department manages the scheduling and broadcasting of a sequence of content, known as area-wide content. This sequence is updated virtually every morning and sends out a content loop (with 10 to 30 different media, some updated daily, others more permanent), generally lasting 3 to 6 minutes. It contains operational information (about recent/ongoing operations), institutional information, recent media articles, messages about the various official ceremonies that may be organized, and also job-related information: open positions within SDIS, newcomers, retirements, etc., or more general information such as information about vaccination, health instructions and the like.

Local communication that is fully adapted to events on the site

Within the fire station, the repair workshop or the training center, a second sequence is set up (which alternates with the area-wide sequence) directly by the local managers, who have restricted rights assigned from the Media4Display console (Player Management), to offer them a certain degree of independence in their broadcast program. They can thus schedule content for their screen only, to put out local information. Sequences planned at the area-wide level or by other parties are protected and not accessible.

The different sequences that can be scheduled locally include information about road works in the area, memos, specific information about events at the fire station, etc.

An easy-to-use solution that allows updating as often as necessary

The members of the Communication Department were trained by our partner Econocom during the roll-out of the project. Since then, the team in charge has decided to independently handle training for new individuals who need to work with the Media4Display software. This is particularly the case when new roles are created locally. The use of the system is fluid and intuitive. It is easy to understand for new users. Of course, there is always the possibility of turning to the Communication Department for a specific need, and also if any information needs to be added to the area-wide loop.