Emergency services set to trial live streaming 999 calls

Emergency control rooms could soon be able to see live footage streamed by eye-witnesses at the scene of incidents.

West Midlands Fire Service will trial a new service next month that will send 999 callers a text message with a URL that, once clicked, provide a real-time live stream of an incident directly into their control rooms.

The service, 999EYE, will also provide the emergency service with precise GPS coordinates, helping pinpoint the caller's exact location.

This will enable control staff to quickly establish the severity of an incident, and ensure response crews have been safely and efficiently dispatched to the precise locations with all 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."

Chris Jones, CEO of PageOne who helped develop the project, 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."