Singapore Civil Defence Force and HTX boost operational efficiency with Microsoft Power Platform

The Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), dedicated to providing firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical services. To uphold its mission to protect and save lives and property, SCDF has strongly embraced innovation and technology over the years to enhance its operational capabilities and the safety of its personnel. Collaborating closely with SCDF is Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), a first-of-its-kind government agency in the world, bringing together science and engineering to transform the homeland security landscape.

Innovating public safety solutions

Since 2020, HTX has been using the lowest tier Microsoft subscription, Microsoft 365 E1, as its communication platform to host organization-wide meetings. Yet, Tan Song Beng, Deputy Director at HTX, saw the hidden potential of the E1 subscription and began to explore the solution’s capabilities beyond communication. "I wanted to see what we could achieve if we had Power Apps on top and tried to build applications for various administrative tasks," shared Song Beng. Using Microsoft Power Platform, Song Beng and his team would go on to create apps that would automate administrative tasks.

Initially, Song Beng and his team were challenged with skeptical views of how useful Power Platform could be to SCDF. Many considered the platform to be equivalent to Excel, meaning it was only useful for citizen developers. “The thinking was, if Power Apps was like Excel, how could we develop enterprise-grade applications? But within three months, we created eight minimum lovable products (MLPs). After showcasing them to Ling Young Ern, Deputy Commissioner (Future Technology and Public Safety) at SCDF, we received his endorsement,” Song Beng recalls.

The apps developed for SCDF have since streamlined duty assignments for field and office staff, assisted employees with troubleshooting and maintenance, managed food indentation and consumption, and more. Song Beng elaborates, "The advanced reporting we could set up in Power BI and the built-in cybersecurity features made app development easier."

Planning for smooth adoption

SCDF’s introduction of a new platform advocated by Song Beng necessitated a robust change management strategy to ensure widespread adoption and minimal disruption. “While we can deliver apps very quickly, the deployment to a 3,000-user population is a bit daunting. Change management soon became a central focus for us,” shares Song Beng.

To effectively manage adoption, SCDF jointly worked with HTX to employ design-thinking methodologies to pinpoint specific user needs and streamline the business processes to develop products that met users’ requirements. “This made the adoption a little smoother,” Song Beng explains.

HTX also delivered hands-on training once the apps were ready to be deployed. “We spent hours walking users through the functionalities and benefits, ensuring they were comfortable and fully prepared to integrate the tools into their daily operations,” Song Beng shares. These sessions facilitated a sense of co-ownership among users, fostering an environment where technology enhances rather than disrupts existing workflows.

Streamlining firefighting operations

Democratizing app development was important to ensure SCDF empowered its teams to find their own solutions. “Low-code platforms have empowered us to develop customised solutions, in shorter development cycles, to digitalise the work processes in our fire stations and share data in real-time between the frontline and headquarters.”

The developed apps enhanced the operational efficiency of SCDF’s frontline units. One standout solution HTX built using Power Apps is the Automated Duty Assignment App (ADA), which has transformed how duty rosters and assignments to appliances are managed across fire stations.

Traditionally, SCDF used Excel to manually assign firefighters’ duties and appliances, and this process took about 30 minutes each day. Song Beng highlights,” ADA cuts down on the administrative time significantly, but the bigger benefit is that it enables us to rotate our people more effectively and ensure they are well-trained for various jobs. It is used by 23 fire stations, SCDF Headquarters, and the Civil Defence Academy, involving about 3,000 firefighters across Singapore."

Another application is the Interactive Troubleshooting App (ITA), designed to empower officers with self-help troubleshooting guidance for vehicle maintenance. This app has dramatically improved operational readiness and reduced the number of service calls. Song Beng explains, "ITA has enabled us to maintain our vehicle fleet more efficiently, cutting down on false positive reports to vendors."

Optimizing operations and resources

HTX’s use of Power Platform has also transformed how duties are managed at SCDF's headquarters. Previously, SCDF staff had to log in to the system at a specific time to book their duty shifts for the coming months. While this method was straightforward, it had its drawbacks, leading to a rush as everyone had to log in simultaneously to secure their slots. “Unfortunately, this would disadvantage officers who were unable to log in on time due to personal or work commitments. Since most duty slots would have been taken up, they would have to settle for what was left," Song Beng recalled. In response, HTX revamped the Duty Officer Rostering App (DORA) by implementing a prioritisation matrix to enhance fairness.

HTX’s choice of Power Platform to create DORA and other apps not only streamlined SCDF’s processes but also resulted in cost savings. "If we had outsourced the development of these apps, it would’ve cost between SGD10 million and SGD20 million. Developing them with Power Apps and Power Automate means we avoid these costs," Song Beng emphasised. The DORA app is utilised by 945 staff at headquarters, providing them with a more strategic and less stressful booking experience.