A new £400,000 Incident Management Unit will enable Merseyside Fire & Rescue to cover "80% of call-outs within 25 minutes".

The fast response command unit streams live pictures of incidents back to senior commanders allowing station managers to co-ordinate rescues requiring more than two appliances or where people are trapped.

Station manager Gary Oakford said: "We recently demonstrated the vehicle's capabilities at a national conference, ahead of going live, to the Fire Minister and chief officers from across the UK.

"It highlighted the innovative approaches we have taken in using technology alongside traditional methods that help us progress the safe and effective management of incidents."

This new unit will act as a hub for communications and logistical support for firefighters and forms part of a range of new developments the Scouse Service are currently engaging in.

Taking the lead from Research Excellence Award winning Kent and East Sussex Services, MFRS are conducting the UK's biggest study into carbon monoxide poisoning.

Crews have visited 23,000 properties around Liverpool and will now fit new CO monitors in 1,200 homes in an effort to reduce the 4,000 plus incidents of monoxide poissoning that take place every year in England and Wales.

Study author Dr Andrew Shaw from Liverpool John Moores University was shocked to find that over 90% of homes visited didn't have an alarm.

"As an academic study this is very important because, for the first time, this will show how many homes do not have CO alarms fitted and get a true figure on the potential risk for CO poisoning," he said. "The impact on people's health may well be underestimated because of this lack of knowledge."

 

Click here to find out about the Black Museum project
Posted 16/12/2011 by richard.hook@pavpub.com