Fire Service picks OneWorld system to manage finances

The Fire Service has selected Denver-based enterprise software manufacturer JD Edwards to provide its financial management system.

Information technology strategy manager Alan Thompson said JD Edwards New Zealand was implementing the OneWorld system, which should be live by June.

It is the culmination of an IT refit of the service which is now a national organisation rather than a collection of regional services.

Mr Thompson said a $1 million fire incident database developed by Glazier Systems, part of the Advantage Group, has just gone live and is simplifying collection of data on fires.

He would not put a price on the JD Edwards system, which involves 180 licences.

"We chose OneWorld because it had the versatility and flexibility so we could configure it to meet out needs," Mr Thompson said. "It also has a very good asset module, and the Fire Service has a lot of assets around the country."

The system will run on Compaq NT servers using a Microsoft SQL Server database.

"Eventually this will go to the 400-plus stations so the business unit managers can understand and manage their budgets."

It will be delivered over the Fire Service's new Citrix MetaFrame network.

Mr Thompson said the fire incident reporting system also ran on an SQL Server database.

"It provides for the first time a single national database for the Fire Service and the Rural Fire Authority."

He said the data will be used for operations resource planning and fire safety work.

Mr Thompson said that instead of using a complex paper form which required reference to a manual of incident codes, fire officers go on line and use drop down menus to populate the database.

The incident report includes data contained in the Intergraph system used by the 111 emergency services call and dispatch centre, "so we are making better use of information we already have."