'Virtual' team ready for Dumfries and Galloway major emergency

A special team has been put in place in Dumfries and Galloway to co-ordinate information put out on social media during a major emergency.

It comes after the success of the set-up during severe winter storms last year.

The Virtual Operations Support Team (VOST) was put in place by the police and Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Police said it allowed a "two-way information flow", which was vital during such incidents.

Martin Ogilvie, resilience and community safety manager with the council, said: "This system allows everyone involved in managing the information flow in an emergency situation to get the right information and advice out to those affected by the emergency in real time.

"It also allows those being affected by the emergency the ability to send information back to those managing the incident, giving them an actual view of what it is they are dealing with.

"Training has been undertaken and we are ready to go live when the situation arises."