SAFEcommand 2011 conference
Conference provides best practice forum for UK Fire & Rescue Services- 86 delegates representing 34 Fire & Rescue Services
attend from England, Scotland and Wales
- Mobile Data, Hydrant Management and Emergency Planning
and Response technologies discussed in best practice open forum
Newcastle 20th December 2011 – A record 86 delegates representing 34 UK Fire & Rescue Services attended the SAFEcommand annual conference last month. The free two-day event, held at the Sports Direct Arena (formerly St James' Park) in Newcastle, attracted FRS representatives from across England, Wales and Scotland to discuss the latest technology developments and share best practice to address current challenges.
Hosted by the Astrium GEO-Services Public Safety team – the developers of the SAFEcommand public safety suite - delegates took advantage of the opportunity to learn about key new technology developments with breakout sessions covering Mobile Data, Hydrant Management and Emergency Planning and Response solutions. There was a particularly positive response to the open forum approach to the event, encouraging FRS representatives to network and share best practice. Customer case study presentations included Gloucestershire FRS discussing the advantages of data sharing with other forces and public bodies, while Andy Marles from South Wales Fire /amp] Rescue explained how the three Welsh FRS work together by sharing data and collaborating on 'shouts' near area borders.
Our SAFEcommand team is committed to creating a forum where the FRS community can discuss the kind of solutions that Fire & Rescue services – and other blue-light services in the UK and worldwide - need to save lives. The format of SAFEcommand 2011 was built around feedback from previous years, and we were keen to actively encouraged open discussion and sharing of best practice. This resulted in lively and fully interactive sessions with FRS representatives from across England, Scotland and Wales, where we were able to discuss our industry challenges, current best practice approaches, and how technology can help us to deliver better services to the public in the future."
"The user group sessions actively engaged delegates for feedback on new enhancements to our SAFEcommand Mobile Data, Hydrant Management and STEPS (Incident Command & Emergency Planning) solutions," added Andy Kerr.
"As a direct result of feedback from the event, the SAFEcommand development team are already now engaging with several FRS on pilot studies for technology enhancements. These include the development of mobile data on handheld devices such as smart phones, and the ongoing challenge of tracking rescue services personnel and resources both inside and outside of buildings"
About Astrium's Public Safety solution suite - SAFEcommand
Astrium GEO-Services' portfolio of Public Safety solutions addresses all 'blue light' aspects - from the location of staff and vehicles, through to operational planning and response, mobile data and satellite communications. Solutions help Fire, Police, Ambulance and Health and other Emergency Response Services to deliver on their critical Duty of Care objectives, and feature unrivalled access to the latest geospatial data – from in-depth 2D datasets detailing key incident intelligence, to the industry's highest resolution 3D UK cityscapes. The proven VMDS Vehicle Mounted Data System, for example, is the fire service's most widely-used solution with over 1,300 vehicles already deployed, while the VTracker visual resource tracking system allows mobile resources to be tracked in real-time on aerial photography or maps via a range of communications services including Tetra.
Astrium's combination of dedicated applications, comprehensive GIS data, resilient mobile communications and a nationwide Managed Services capability represents an ideal partner for major Public Safety projects. The next SAFEcommand event is planned for Q4 of 2012
