A new innovative solution which enables emergency control operators to view live streamed footage of incidents from eye witnesses is being piloted by West Midlands Fire Service in the UK, in conjunction with PageOne.
999EYE is the first-ever smartphone solution that enables 999 callers, with compatible mobile devices, to securely send live footage or images of incidents to emergency service control.
With the 999 caller’s permission, a text message containing a URL is sent to their smartphone and once clicked, a one-use-only live stream is established that allows footage or images to be sent directly to the control room. GPS coordinates are also delivered, helping to pinpoint the exact location of an incident. 999EYE is not yet to be used for 999 calls until further testing is completed, with the general public go-live date not yet decided on.
Staffordshire & West Midlands Fire Control Centre
The eye-catching solution enables control staff to quickly establish the severity of an incident and then ensure that response crews have been safely and efficiently dispatched to locations with the information they need.
Steve Taylor, Area Commander for Organisational Preparedness, said “999EYE will help ensure people get the most appropriate response, complementing the skills of our expert control staff in obtaining information from 999 callers. Responding to incidents safely, quickly and assertively is key to reducing casualties and damage to property”
PageOne helped develop the project and its CEO Chris Jones said “This is a ground breaking solution that has the potential to deliver significant benefits to blue light services and the general public. In addition to fire and rescue services, this technology could advance the way 999 calls are reported and dealt with by the Police, Ambulance services, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Mountain Rescue services across the UK.”
Photos: West Midlands Fire Service
