Fire departments often face considerable administrative challenges. Among the main obstacles are the complex management of human resources, the coordination of operations, the collection and centralization of data, and the management of budgets and material resources. Maintaining accurate and up-to-date reporting and regulatory controls documentation also represents a significant challenge. All these administrative aspects are essential to ensure emergency services' preparedness, responsiveness, and safety.

## Interview with Christian Mauley, Captain of the protection and safety department of Neuchâtel. He talks about how the WEDO platform helps them manage their activities.

### What is your role at the protection and safety department of Neuchâtel?

I'm deputy to the commander of the Neuchâtel coastal fire defense region and project manager for the Fire Brigade Office.

### Can you describe the Neuchâtel Fire Brigade and its activities briefly?

The protection and safety department's Fire Brigade heads up the Littoral Neuchâtel fire and defense region, which includes 40 professional firefighters and 220 volunteer firefighters. Firefighters are divided into three intervention sectors.

### What are the challenges of this multi-site organization?

The challenges associated with the multi-site organization of our fire defense region are manifold, and meticulous management is required to ensure safe and efficient operation. First and foremost, one of the main concerns is the **standardization of procedures**. With five different sites spread over three intervention sectors, all teams must **follow the same protocols and operational standards**. This ensures optimum coordination during emergency interventions and avoids confusion arising from divergent practices.

Another major challenge is to **manage the differing driving rhythms between professional and volunteer firefighters** at our different fire stations. Professionals are always on call, while volunteers have a variety of off-duty commitments. This requires careful planning to ensure that the correct number of staff is always available to respond to emergency calls while respecting individual constraints. Task management and centralized communication are essential for effective coordination between rescue centers. We use WEDO to facilitate the transmission of critical information in real-time while allowing each sector to operate autonomously for tasks specific to its geographical area. Finally, information security is paramount, especially when sharing files between sites. We must protect sensitive data and operational information from unauthorized access. Strict security measures are in place to guarantee the integrity and confidentiality of our data while enabling it to be shared securely between sites.

### Before integrating WEDO, what tools did you use for collaboration and administrative management?

We took our minutes on an Excel file for our various meetings and discussions. We had a shared diary on Outlook for the availability of rescue teams, and we exchanged information by e-mail. The fire station's various procedures and team management were documented on numerous Excel files that were not accessible to everyone at all times.

### What were the limitations of using these different tools?

Information was scattered in many places, resulting in much redundancy and loss. The dispersed communication between the various layers of the hierarchy and the fire station's stakeholders, therefore, impacted project follow-up and operations' fluidity.

### How do you use WEDO today?

We use WEDO to generate all the reports for the various meetings between the protection and safety department offices, such as regional staff reports, operational staff reports, sector reports, and daily intervention section reports. Finally, WEDO enables us to have all reports in one place so that those entitled to them can consult them at any time. Meeting members can also add items to the agenda to prepare for discussion. The platform has also enabled us to improve project management and track current information within the fire station. The platform's collaborative aspect allows us to assign routine tasks to users. In real-time, We can see how tasks are progressing, track maintenance, manage orders, and process expense claims, to name a few. It is also possible to document recurring procedures, such as material preparation or ongoing training, with checklist templates that can be launched at any time.

![Firefighter software for administrative management of firefighters](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Temoignage_Christian_Mauley_2_EN_7ed196a0fe.png)

### How did team members react to the introduction of the tool?

Consolidating various tasks and information into a single program facilitated integration of the tool. Sharing themes across all strata and management bodies enables the monitoring and transmission of information. In addition, we have created a small in-house newspaper on WEDO to increase adherence to the platform. All staff can add themes concerning current projects and past interventions in this journal. They can also add information in various formats, such as photos or regional articles.

### How does WEDO contribute to the Neuchâtel's protection and safety department digitalization process?

WEDO contributes to digitalization by considerably reducing paper printouts and centralizing project documents. The main benefits are the centralization of information, increased participation, and enhanced staff skills at all levels. The participative aspect of the platform considerably reduces the number of e-mails exchanged.


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![Software for firefighter procedures and automatic dispatch of intervention-related tasks](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Temoignage_Christian_Mauley1_EN_2482933fb1.png)


Fire departments often face considerable administrative challenges. Interview with Christian Mauley, Captain of the protection and safety department of Neuchâtel.

Fire service captain testifies on the use of software for emergency services

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Management software for emergency, fire, and rescue services

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In the ever-evolving world of technology, staying ahead of the curve is imperative to ensure that your software remains not just relevant but also efficient and user-friendly. This is precisely why we are thrilled to announce a major overhaul of our flagship software, WEDO.

Since its inception, WEDO has undergone significant growth and transformation. Our team has continuously worked to enhance its capabilities, introducing numerous features and functionalities to meet the evolving needs of our users. However, this growth led to the obvious - **the need for a complete code rewrite to ensure the software's longevity**.

Over the past year, our dedicated team of developers has poured their expertise and energy into this project. The result is a robust and future-proof version of WEDO, poised to deliver stability and lightning-fast performance for years to come.

But that's not all. We didn't stop at just rewriting the code. Alongside this technical overhaul, we've also reimagined the user interface, making it more intuitive and user-friendly. We've refreshed the color schemes and aesthetics to give the software a modern and appealing look. Additionally, we've incorporated several enhancements suggested by our users, further tailoring WEDO to meet your needs.

The countdown has begun. We're thrilled to announce that the new version of WEDO will be officially rolled out across all user networks in December 2023. Get ready to experience a faster, sleeker, and more powerful WEDO that will empower you to achieve even more 🚀





In the ever-evolving world of technology, staying ahead of the curve is imperative to ensure that your software remains not just relevant but also efficient and user-friendly. This is precisely why we are thrilled to announce a major overhaul of our flagship software, WEDO.

New, optimized version of WEDO collaboration software

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A fresh start for enhanced performance and user experience

In the context of digitalization, it is essential to improve the efficiency of administrative tasks within municipalities and public administration to ensure better delivery of public services. However, these entities are often grappling with time-consuming administrative activities that can hamper productivity.

Digital transformation offers valuable opportunities to automate administrative tasks. WEDO is a major asset in this field and has a proven track record as an cloud based, high-performance municipal government software. With its user-friendly interface, it enables local authority and public service professionals to quickly create, organize and manage essential documents. This automation frees up valuable time that can be reallocated to more strategic activities.

## Efficient management of committee meetings, town council meetings and municipal assemblies

Municipal meetings play an essential role in the decision-making process within public administrations. However, organizing and keeping track of them can be time-consuming.

WEDO simplifies this process by making it easy to create city council agendas or any other operational meeting agendas. The web app helps schedule meetings, write meeting notes, and share them easily and securely. As a result, we structure discussions better, make decisions faster, and closely monitor their implementation. WEDO is ideal for managing all types of meeting, whether bilateral or large-scale.

![government software solutions for municipal council meetings](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Administrations_publiques_6_EN_2f16bea765.png)


## Tracking discussions and decisions of council's and areas' meetings

Traceability of discussions and decisions is a key element in the transparent management of public administration. WEDO meets this requirement by recording every discussion, every decision and every task precisely and with a time stamp. This traceability guarantees complete documentation, promoting public accountability and trust in public institutions.

Before choosing a meeting manager, communities and municipalities should ensure that the software solution in question allows the management of access rights to certain areas and meeting minutes, so that sensitive information remains confidential.


## The benefits of a collaborative task management software for municipalities and local governments

A good task manager is essential for effective supervision of all areas of the commune. In WEDO, every member can get an overview of the status of every project, task, meeting and file.

This makes it possible to make informed decisions, identify potential bottlenecks and reallocate resources to optimize overall administrative productivity.

![Software for the management of operational daily business of municipalities](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Administrations_publiques_5_EN_ac2fe2fc90.png)


### The benefits of a task manager for an area manager:

**Organization and monitoring of activities:**
A task manager enables the area manager to maintain an organized list of activities and projects underway in his or her area. This gives him or her an overview of all tasks to be completed, their status and deadlines.

**Strategic planning in the public sector :**
Area managers can use a task manager to plan short-, medium- and long-term activities in their area. This helps him or her define objectives, allocate the necessary resources and develop strategies to meet community needs.

**Distribution of responsibilities :**
Using a task manager, the sector manager can assign specific tasks to members of his team or to other departments in the commune or town hall. He can assign priorities and keep track of who is responsible for what, promoting role clarity.

**Progress tracking :**
The task manager enables the area manager to monitor the progress of projects in real time. It can quickly detect delays or potential problems, enabling corrective action to be taken quickly.

**Internal communication:**
The Area Manager can use the Task Manager to communicate with his team and other departments in the commune. He can share information, documents and updates on ongoing projects without having to send e-mails. This boosts collaboration and cohesion within the town hall.

**Reduced forgetfulness:**
By recording all tasks to be completed in a task manager, the team leader minimizes the risk of oversight or neglect. He can be sure that nothing slips through the cracks and that all responsibilities are taken care of, with precise deadlines.


### The benefits of a task manager for the employee:

**Work management:**
A municipal software helps to keep track of the tasks assigned to the employee. They can organize their activities, set priorities and avoid oversights, all of which contribute to better workload management. Municipal operations can be managed from a computer, tablet or smartphone. This compatibility means that everyone, whether in the field or in the office, can find what they're looking for.

**Project and file tracking:**
A municipality management solution enables employees to track the progress of specific projects or files on which they are not working alone. They can note milestones achieved, important information and actions to be taken, making it easier to collaborate with other colleagues or departments in the municipality.

**Priority management:**
Employees can prioritize tasks according to importance and urgency. In this way, they can concentrate on activities that are crucial to the commune, and avoid being overwhelmed by lower-priority tasks.

**Reminders and notifications:**
Task managers often offer the option of setting reminders and notifications. This ensures that the employee doesn't forget deadlines, important meetings or actions to be taken, thus contributing to better punctuality.

**Personal assessment :**
A task manager enables employees to reflect on their own performance. They can analyze their achievements, identify areas for improvement and take steps to enhance their efficiency.



## Case study: How did the commune of Saxon (CH) breathe new life into its activities with WEDO?

In this article, you'll discover how the Commune de Saxon improved internal communication between its councillors, sector managers and staff. A successful implementation, both in terms of productivity and staff motivation:

[**Read article**](https://wedo.com/blog/commune-of-saxon-a-digital-revolution-in-municipal-administration)


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In the context of digitalization, it is essential to improve the efficiency of administrative tasks within municipalities and public administration to ensure better delivery of public services.

Software helping municipalities and local authorities to manage their daily operations

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Digital transformation of public administrations

Brainstorming sessions are often the crucible of creativity, innovative ideas and free expression. Whether around a meeting table or online, these dynamic meetings can take meandering paths, exploring an impressive array of ideas often represented by multicolored sticky notes or diagrams drawn on a whiteboard. However, in the midst of all this excitement, it's essential not to lose sight of the original objective: to generate ideas, productive discussions and, above all, informed decisions.

This is where the need to synthesize and record all those ideas comes in the nightmare of every brainstorming report writer. In this article, we'll explore the art of writing a brainstorming report, a document that captures the outcomes of these dynamic meetings. We'll look at how to turn the constructive chaos of brainstorming into a simple, clear and actionable written report for the future.

### Step 1: Preparing for the meeting

**1. Prepare in advance:** 
Familiarize yourself with the subject of the brainstorming session and make sure you have the tools you need to take notes. For greater speed and flexibility, consider using brainstorming tools for writing like WEDO.

**2. Prepare the brainstorming agenda:** 
At this stage, the agenda will mention only the general points on which the group should reflect and come up with innovative or creative ideas. These concepts should be kept broad, to leave the door wide open for creativity. In WEDO, these broad concepts are referred to as sections, which will then be broken down by participants' ideas into themes. This pre-defined agenda provides a framework for brainstorming.

**3. Identify roles**: 
If possible, appoint a moderator and a scribe. The moderator, often standing, facilitates discussion, illustrates and notes ideas on a board or sticky notes, and encourages participants to express themselves. The scribe transcribes and synthesizes the information into a report. When visual brainstorming, the script may need to regularly take photos of the discussion board to make sure no information is missed.

### Step 2: Note-taking during the brainstorming session

**1. List ideas:** 
Create a structured list of all the ideas generated during the meeting. WEDO lets you list each idea in themes for a clear structure. Take note of all ideas, even those that seem far-fetched or off-topic. Use key words, short phrases, photos or diagrams to record information quickly. 
    
![animer un brainstorming](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Brainstorming_Od_J_EN_f618169554.png)
    

**2. Record key discussions:** 
Take note of participants' points of view, debates and important discussions. This will help give context to the ideas generated.

**3. Encourage brainstorming decision making :** Whenever a decision is made, be sure to record it in your report, along with the reasons for it. With WEDO, you can formalize decision-making with the voting module, enabling you to come to a decision transparently and fairly.

![brainstorming output with the voting feature](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Brainstorming_Od_J_EN_1_1_5fea3e77db.png)

### **Step 3: Reorganize ideas and information**

It's hard to maintain a logical flow of ideas when brainstorming. Once the brainstorming session is over, it's time to organize the information gathered.

**1. Restructure the list of ideas if necessary:** 
Take the time to reorganize and group similar ideas into the right themes to define the common thread of your report.

**2. Summarize discussions:** 
Scan your notes to identify the most relevant or influential discussions. Summarize them concisely. Don't hesitate to use colors or emojis to structure your paragraphs or categorize ideas.

![synthèse de brainstorming en ligne](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Brainstorming_lister_idees_EN_76019bb7e2.png)

**3. Highlight decisions:** 
Highlight all decisions made during the brainstorming session. In WEDO, you can decide on a decision so that it becomes official and is highlighted in your report.

### Step 4: Write the brainstorming report

Now that you've organized the information, it's time to write the report itself:

**1. Introduction:** 
Start with a brief introduction explaining the purpose of the brainstorming session, the date, the participants and the context.

**2. List of ideas:** 
Present the list of ideas generated during the brainstorming session in the form of sections and themes.

**3. Conclusions and decisions:** 
Decisions can be listed in each theme, but they can also all be duplicated and added to a special theme, summarizing all the decisions made during the meeting. This summary will delight those who need a quick overview of the meeting's outcomes.

![Synthèse des décisions](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Brainstorming_Od_J_EN_2_2745b387be.png)

**4. Action plan:** 
End the report with an action plan. Outline the next steps to be taken, the actions to be taken and the people responsible for implementing them. In a WEDO report, you can create tasks directly in the report. The task will include a description, a deadline, a responsible person and an observer if required, as well as attachments or comments. These tasks will be sent automatically to each participant's task manager, for easy project follow-up.

![Action plan brainstorming](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Brainstorming_Od_J_EN_3_c31b07dc14.png)

In conclusion, writing up the outcome of a brainstorming session requires preparation, effective note-taking and organization. WEDO software is an invaluable brainstorming tool for simplifying this process, centralizing information and facilitating team collaboration. Your brainstorming reports will become valuable documents for decision-making and future planning. It also allows you to conduct brainstorming meetings online.

Interested in this topic? In a future article, we'll be taking a closer look at the second key role in a brainstorming meeting: that of the facilitator. We'll look at the most effective methods for engaging participants and encouraging creativity.

In this article, we'll explore the art of writing a brainstorming report, a document that captures the outcomes of these dynamic meetings. 

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