Police footage to be streamed direct to ambulance control crews in West Midlands
Emergency services are gearing up for the Commonwealth Games with the aim to share aerial footage with the help of new digital equipment.
The multi-agency initiative will involve live footage being transmitted to ambulance crews in response to major incidents in partnership with the fire service and the National Police Air Service (NPAS).
Under the scheme West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust has invested in two Enterprise Control Systems receivers which will be installed in incident command vehicles to provide chiefs with a bird’s eye view of incidents to aid assessment and decision making.
If required, the police aerial footage can be streamed to ambulance control rooms using a laptop.
The trust's tactical incident commander Cameron McVittie said: “Learning from incidents is at the forefront of our command development as an organisation, and the addition of the airborne data link into our command toolbox will be a fantastic asset to ensure that as a multi-agency command tea.
"We can make the best decisions to keep our patients and staff safe at incidents such as water rescue, significant fires or marauding terrorist attacks. Not to mention, to create further synergy between ourselves and our - partners on the scene of incidents.”
“As an organisation that looks to promote digital integration and enhanced capabilities, we look forward to utilising our new devices alongside our multi-agency partners. Particularly with significant events coming up such as the Commonwealth Games in the region this summer,” he added.
West Midlands Fire Service group commander Richard Moore said: “We’re really excited to be linking up with our ambulance and police colleagues for this downlink project. It’s the latest innovation in our drive to keep our communities safe with a digital and data-driven approach.
"We’ve been trialling our own drones for a year, so appreciate how an aerial dimension can complement our work on the ground. The NPAS partnership will help our decision making as we bring incidents to a safe resolution.”
NPAS tactical flight training officer and mission systems expert Pc Neil Cuffe said: “All our aircraft have the capability to transmit high-quality footage to officers on the ground and incident control rooms via the downlink system.
"This is invaluable in assisting commanders to make critical decisions on how to appropriately direct resources and manage the scene of an incident. It is widely used by police forces and will be hugely beneficial for fire and ambulance colleagues as we work together to protect the public.”
