Fire service to increase use of bodycams

The fire service said it hoped to increase its use of the technology

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has said it hopes to increase the number of body-worn cameras used by firefighters.

The organisation currently has 30 cameras, allowing crews to live stream at incidents.

Speaking at a fire authority meeting this week Marc Millward, area manager for service delivery, said that they were "looking to roll it out further".

"The brigade manager can get live footage and use footage to support investigations," he said, with footage also be used to enhance training.

"There is also a safety element as well as staff sometimes receive verbal and physical abuse."

Drones are also being used by the fire service

Mr Millward gave the Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Service authority a presentation about the use of digital devices at the meeting on Wednesday.

He said the fire service now owned two drones and had 10 trained drone pilots based between their bases at the Tweedale Industrial Estate and in Newport.

He said that the equipment was recently used in Bridgnorth to help the local authority see the size and impact of flooding.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.