Smart Technology For Smart Inventory Management
Inventory Management. Keeping a real-time track of inventory and its management is a very complex operation. Especially done without having the right kind technology support for it.
For most needs, manual stock-taking or barcode assisted tracking technology would do. But in situations where an organization has to handle medical or fire breakout emergencies and zero failure levels have to be ensured, inventory management is a real challenge.
Take the case of Bonita Springs Fire Control & Rescue District. They operate 7 fire stations on a 24×7 alert. The also have to reach out and respond to nearly 8000 emergency calls every year.
To carry out a fire control and rescue operation these fire stations can never afford to be out of emergency supplies and equipment. Each station has to ensure available stock of about 400 items, with enough spares to meet any grave situation.
Richard Scott, the Assistant Fire Chief of Bonita Springs Fire Control & Rescue District says, “it’s a unique challenge we have.”
The Benefits of Smart Inventory Management
By having adopted the RIFD Tracking Technology, 5 years ago. The district and Scott are witness to the drastic change that the organization has undergone in doing its job. The efficiency that has come about in logistics and inventory management. Not to mention the reduction in wastage which have all resulted into increased savings.
To keep the 7 fire stations fully equipped with on the move fire engines, loaded with advanced life support units carrying over 160 items. Scott says, “first a master supply room at the headquarters storing over 2500 items was overhauled and reorganized.
How its done
To set up an RIFD smart room we laid out smart shelves. Then with all the items organized, packed, labelled and stored by tagging them. All fixed assets, equipment and apparatuses are also RFID tagged.
Once the master supply room and all the fire station are reoriented to the needs of the smart technology. Then an RIFD Gun is capable of logging everything in the master supply room and at the fire stations. with over 7000 items stacked, in just 30 seconds, a task that would take days to do a stock audit manually.
What’s more, the real-time inventory stock can be monitored and managed from anywhere by a smart device.
Behind the magic
“The RIFD technology enables you to handle logistics with a just-in-time management system,” Scott confides. Adding that even in challenging times when extra care needs to be taken to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. Essential medical supplies such as intravenous (IV) fluids, critical care medicines and other essential items are easily stocked and tracked with valid expiry periods.
Not only money is saved by efficient use of supplies, but wastage is also contained by not overstocking. RIFD tracking technology saves you from being penalized for stocking expired medical supplies! Which is a serious offense that can even have you lose your working license.
“We recovered our Return on Investments (ROI) within the first year of deploying the new technology solution,” says Richard Scott.
Looking to the future
While the Assistant Fire Chief of Bonita Springs, Fire Control & Rescue District in 5 years have become accustomed to using RIFD inventory management system. The organization now requires fewer personnel, save on time needed for managing supplies and logistics. The system has reduced the chances of having expired medications in stock! It also improved transparency and real-time visibility of all fire stations, equipment and apparatuses. That has enables the firefighters to concentrate on their primary mission.
