Fire service deploys drones and other electronic gadgets at Shropshire incidents

Live-streaming cameras and drones have already helped Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service deal with the search for a missing person in a river, flooding and at barn fires.

A spokesperson for Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "The service has introduced a host of new and exciting pieces of technology, including drones, body worn cameras, live streaming cameras and tablets to further advance the way we tackle fires and manage other incidents.

"The live streaming camera has already helped in serious incidents, most recently during the search of a missing person who was last seen in their canoe on the river.

"The camera was able zoom upstream, track and locate the canoe which helped in the search for the missing person by giving us more information on where they might be situated."

The spokesperson added that drones have also already proven extremely useful during the flooding in Shropshire and have been used at several barn fires and other incidents where they have allowed officers to gain a clearer picture of what the crews faced and resource accordingly.

Fire fighters also have body worn cameras for "enhanced accountability and professionalism", investigations and training.

The camera has high definition live streaming from any location, pan-lit-zoom functionality, secure encrypted connection ensuring data integrity and privacy.

Simon Hardiman, the county's chief fire officer, said: “The introduction of these digital solutions will ultimately help us keep our communities safe by giving us more information and allowing us to better communicate between our own teams and our partners.

"Anything that enables us to make quicker and more informed decisions has the potential to save a life.”