A NEW fast response command unit has been brought into service to help Merseyside firefighters deal with major incidents.
The £400,000 Incident Management Unit (IMU) will be used to provide live pictures streamed back to senior commanders, as well as to co-ordinate activities at the scene.
The IMU, based at Old Swan fire station, will be used on call-outs that require more than three appliances and road traffic collisions where people are reported trapped.
The hi-tech vehicle includes the new Incident Ground Management System that can capture still and moving images. It can also be used for back office functions.
Station manager Gary Oakford, who led the project for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), said: “The IMU is able to cover 80% of Merseyside within 25 minutes. It provides a command point for officers and other agencies, such as the police, and it is also the hub for communications and logistical support.
“It is anticipated that the provision of this unit, and its technological upgrade, will contribute to our continued focus on the safe management of operational incidents that brings both advantages in terms of firefighter safety and safer communities.
