A new phase of digital transformation is underway at East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (ESFRS), designed to make critical systems faster, ultra reliable and more connected, helping firefighters respond more efficiently to emergencies and protect communities across the region.
The programme is being delivered through a new five-year partnership with critical infrastructure technology provider Telent, valued at £11 million. Building on a relationship that spans nearly a decade, the partnership will focus on ensuring that the technology supporting operational response and emergency communications, as well as IT services including critical networks, line of business applications and user devices remain resilient, secure and ready for every call.
Under the new agreement, Telent will be the principal partner in the next phase of ESFRS’s digital transformation, moving from a co-located data centre to a fully cloud-first environment within Microsoft Azure as well as application vendor provided Cloud services. The enhanced infrastructure will strengthen cybersecurity, improve performance and data access, and streamline information-sharing across teams, ensuring consistent and reliable emergency response.
This contract award demonstrates that long-term transformation is possible when technology partners truly understand their customers’ mission and work collaboratively to achieve it. By keeping vital IT systems running 24/7, we help ensure that East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service can focus entirely on what matters most that is protecting lives, property and the communities they serve.
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Our technology systems are central to how we serve and protect our communities. Continuing our partnership with Telent gives us the confidence that our digital infrastructure will remain secure, reliable and fit for the future, supporting our firefighters and staff in delivering the best possible service for the communities of East Sussex.
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The award follows a rigorous public procurement process and builds on a nine-year partnership between Telent and ESFRS. Since first partnering in 2016, Telent has modernised the Service’s IT infrastructure, migrated legacy systems and provided round-the-clock managed services across more than 75 IT service categories including station end mobilisation, wired and Wi-Fi network management and end-user support ensuring dependable IT Services to users including stations and front-line crews. It also includes digitising previously manual and paper-based processes for fire safety visits, introducing a tablet-based application to replace manually uploaded forms used for Site Specific Risk Information visits.
From an operational perspective, this award ensures our teams can continue providing the dependable, secure infrastructure that the Service’s front-line staff rely on every day. Whether it’s maintaining seamless communication between control rooms and crews or ensuring systems are always online, our focus is on enabling ESFRS to continue to deliver a fast, coordinated response across every incident as well as supporting the essential prevention work reducing the need for operational response.
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Telent’s managed service model is aligned with ITIL standards and backed by ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications, ensuring the highest levels of compliance, security and performance across all systems.
With more than two decades of experience supporting the UK’s emergency services, Telent continues to deliver technology that enables fire and rescue organisations to operate with confidence and reliability.
The new agreement will also see Telent and ESFRS co-develop the organisation’s future IT strategy, exploring opportunities in AI, automation and predictive analytics to enhance planning, coordination and resource management across the Service.
Mission‑Critical Technology for Emergency Services
Telent supports emergency services with integrated technology solutions that enable seamless communications, rapid decision‑making and operational resilience.
Telent supports emergency services with integrated technology solutions that enable seamless communications, rapid decision‑making and operational resilience.