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first published week of: 03/23/2015
Essex County [U.K.]Fire and Rescue Service is using the latest high resolution aerial photography from Bluesky to improve incident response and planning. The aerial dataset, covering more than three and a half thousand square kilometers, is being deployed across the entire organization with more than 1,600 staff having access to the data via the service’s web GIS. One of the largest County fire services in the UK, frontline crews and support staff at Essex Fire and Rescue Service are already using the Bluesky imagery to provide an instant, up to date view of the County and provide a new perspective on locations.
“Aerial photography allows all of our staff to view specific sites and premises without leaving their stations or desks,” commented Tracy King, GIS Officer at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS). “Although the aerial photography cannot completely replace the need for site visits it is a great place to start and is already delivering savings and working efficiencies. The images also provide a totally different perspective and view of a site that traditional mapping simply doesn’t offer.”
The Bluesky aerial photography has already been made available to frontline crews, control and support staff via the organizations newly introduced web GIS (Geographical Information System) in addition to desktop version of the software. Applications of the data have already included the creation of Tactical Fire Plans and maps as well as initial assessment of building layouts by responding crews. The Bluesky imagery has also been used to help prepare for emergency exercises and it is hoped it will be rolled out for use by Control and Command staff as well as the service’s Critical Incident and Emergency Planning Teams.