Shropshire fire service invests in new technology and innovations

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is soaring to new heights with digital innovations. The service has introduced a range of new technology, including drones, body worn cameras, live streaming cameras and tablets to further advance the way it tackles fires and manage other incidents.

The live streaming camera has already helped in serious incidents, most recently during the search of a missing person who was last seen in their canoe on the river. The camera was able zoom upstream, track and locate the canoe which helped in the search for the missing person by giving us more information on where they might be situated.

The drones have also already proven extremely useful during the flooding in Shropshire and have been used at several barn fires and other incidents where they have allowed officers to gain a clearer picture of what the crews faced and resource accordingly.

“The introduction of these digital solutions will ultimately help us keep our communities safe by giving us more information and allowing us to better communicate between our own teams and our partners. Anything that enables us to make quicker and more informed decisions has the potential to save a life.”

Simon Hardiman, Chief Fire Officer, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Drones provide the service with real time aerial reconnaissance for rapid situation awareness, enhanced mapping and data visualisation for informed decision making, swift development for locating missing persons and addressing hazardous environments and faster response times.

Body worn cameras give the service enhanced accountability and professionalism among staff, footage for investigation purposes, valuable training footage for continuous improvement and skill enhancement and strengthened public trust through transparent communication.

The camera has high definition live streaming from any location, pan-lit-zoom functionality and secure encrypted connection ensuring data integrity and privacy.

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