By Derrick Kiel, Deputy Chief of Logistics, City of Oklahoma City Fire
The Oklahoma City Fire Department (OKCFD) once faced many challenges common across the fire service: disconnected workflows, manual reporting and time‑consuming compliance tasks. These issues had become friction points at every level, from frontline crews to command staff, slowing decisions and obscuring accountability.
We were managing processes like recording fuel, keeping company logs, submitting training requests, recording overtime, and documenting personnel matters like discipline — all on paper. Records lived in binders and boxes, scattered across facilities, without a consistent way to gather, store or retrieve data when needed.
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Our inventory system was to send the least senior member of the crew to count the number of widgets we had. If the number they returned with was insufficient, we submitted an order for more — again, on paper. This approach introduced delays and guesswork, often resulting in either over‑ordering or shortages.
Paperwork often got damaged, forgotten or even lost. A firefighter who submitted a request never knew where it was or its status. Although these processes were necessary, these inefficiencies pulled firefighters away from their core mission — Meeting The Need. The net effect was apparent: more time on forms, less time on response readiness and community service.
Similar‑sized departments face these same pain points, and modernization is increasingly critical for meeting NFPA standards and maintaining strong ISO ratings. By aligning with industry best practices, OKCFD ensured its approach not only solved local problems but also positioned the department as a leader in compliance and operational excellence. Modern tools, thoughtfully deployed, connect daily work to measurable outcomes that strengthen preparedness and public trust.
The tipping point came when the executive leadership team decided to modernize and streamline these antiquated processes. This vision set the stage for a transformation that would later earn OKCFD the First Responder Innovation Award at the IAFC Technology Summit International, affirming that innovation, when aligned to mission, can elevate both operations and culture.
General timeline
The journey began in April 2023, when OKCFD partnered with AgreeYa Solutions (now Computacenter) to build a “platform” accessible outside the City’s network. The decision to use SharePoint as the internal and external landing page was finalized in October 2023, and the project then progressed to Power Apps and Power BI. With the foundation established, the team advanced from portals to purpose‑built applications and reporting, ensuring capabilities could grow with demand.
The impact across the ranks
This modernization brought measurable benefits across the organization.
- Firefighters: For frontline firefighters, mobile apps replaced burdensome paper forms, reducing reporting and approval time. Firefighters can now enter apparatus checks, record physical training hours, and record fuel and oxygen readings from a mobile device in real time as they walk around the apparatus. These tasks occur within the workflow, eliminating duplicate entries and speeding up approvals.
- Company officers: Company officers can see in real time when these tasks have been completed, making reporting more efficient; monitor turnout and response times; and receive instant notification when a resident requests a smoke alarm installation. This visibility accelerates workflows and strengthens accountability at the company level.
- Chiefs: The chiefs gained real‑time visibility into compliance status and operational metrics, enabling them to evaluate efficiency better.
Over time, technology shifted from “another project” to an embedded tool, supported by transparency and clear ownership. Members transitioned from interacting with something because they were required to, to suggesting and requesting additional applications to help further streamline their regularly assigned tasks. In short, adoption matured into advocacy.
Every department member can view response data at the shift, battalion, station or individual apparatus level. These operational improvements translated into measurable outcomes and new capabilities for both personnel and the community.
Success metrics and stories
While exact results vary by application, we found that intentional education and employee involvement improved cooperation and utilization rates across multiple processes. Regular communication, demonstrations and listening sessions helped teams see how each tool solved a real pain point.
New applications that most impacted firefighters included expedited mileage reimbursement, requests to attend training events, requests to receive incentive pay for specialty training or advanced education, and the ease of entering help tickets. By removing paper steps and adding status tracking, these workflows now resolve faster and with fewer errors.
Our personnel who also serve in the military can upload orders through the HR app. Personnel can also update contact and beneficiary information, request a light‑duty assignment, and request donated sick leave, all through our HR app. Built‑in privacy controls protect sensitive data while maintaining access for those who need it.
Our residents are better served by the ease of smoke alarm installations, the ability to process burn permits, and a fire company’s ability to make a referral to the Mobile Integrated Health team while still on the scene of an incident.
Additionally, data governance became a cornerstone of this transformation. Moving from paper to digital required clear standards for data accuracy, retention and security. OKCFD implemented centralized dashboards to ensure chiefs could access real‑time, validated information. Privacy safeguards were built into Human Resources workflows to protect sensitive personnel and health data. Beyond compliance, structured data now drives analytics for staffing models, apparatus replacement and predictive maintenance, turning raw information into actionable insights that improve readiness and community outcomes. This shift reframed data from a byproduct into a strategic asset, informing decisions and sustaining compliance.
How other agencies can do the same
These programs are scalable, meaning other agencies can incorporate the same approach to serve their organization’s unique needs.
Here’s how to do it:
- Start with pain points: Identify workflows that consume the most time or create the most significant frustration but are somewhat low‑hanging fruit. Start with something that you can get an “easy win” from. Use these as your starting point for digital transformation. Early wins build trust and momentum. Keep scope tight and outcomes visible.
- Leverage existing platforms: Tools like Microsoft Power Apps enable agencies to build custom solutions using resources that are likely already at their disposal. Building your own applications can give your department freedom from third‑party applications that do almost everything needed, bring stability, and minimize the worry of application providers being absorbed by a conglomerate, and possibly no longer being supported. Favor modular solutions that you can extend, integrate and own over time.
- Engage personnel early: Success depends on buy‑in from both leadership and frontline personnel. Involve them in the design and testing to ensure solutions meet real‑world needs. This paid huge dividends when developing an evaluation instrument for fire recruits. Most firefighters will vehemently defend something that they helped build. Co‑design turns users into champions and surfaces practical requirements you might otherwise miss.
- Measure and share wins: Track KPIs and communicate improvements internally and externally. Communicate early and often as milestones are achieved. Publish results, celebrate progress and invite feedback so adoption keeps pace with capability.
- Think beyond today: Share the vision to keep focused on what could be. Anchor every project to mission outcomes — readiness, safety and service — and plan for how improvements will scale.
Final thoughts
OKCFD’s story proves that modernization isn’t about technology for technology’s sake, or simply buying the latest “hot‑take” software with a one‑size‑fits‑all approach; it’s about reclaiming time, improving safety and strengthening service. When innovation is tied to purpose, every second saved returns to the mission. By embracing innovation, fire departments can turn tech from talk into action, ensuring that every second saved means more time focused on response readiness, which eventually translates into lives saved, likely with a resource already within your reach. Any department willing to start small, engage its people, and share its wins can achieve similar success.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Derrick Kiel serves as a deputy chief of Support Services for the Oklahoma City Fire Department.
