Jersey Fire Service develops mobile app to help crews tackle tall building emergencies

  • ITV Channel reporter Iain McBride joins Jersey's Fire Service to see the new technology in action


Jersey's Fire Service has developed an app to give crews essential information if there is an emergency in a high-rise building.

The new technology was created to provide firefighters with details about challenges they may face when responding to incidents in structures five floors and above.

Station Commander Ryan Hall says: "This gives us vital information when we arrive about the challenges we may face, along with information about hydrants, access to the buildings, where we get water and floor plans."

To log the information, firefighters are visiting high-rise buildings where everything is recorded on an iPad and stored on a central computer.

Jersey firefighter Georgina Connor explains: "We're looking at how many floors, how wide, how deep and then we can check where the hydrant is and where we are going to get our water from because that's key."

Property manager Charlie Smith believes the owners of these complexes also have an important role in the app's success.

He says: "The information we provide is the layouts of each development.

"The structure, what materials have been used and access points.

"We've given them information about what's in place in each development so they will arrive with all the information and act quickly."

With technology constantly evolving and as every second counts during an emergency, firefighters hope advancements like this could save lives.