Conservatives on the London Assembly have called on the capital’s fire brigade to commission a video streaming app to capture eyewitness information about major incidents.
A new report published by Tony Arbour AM says a dedicated app developed for the brigade could be used to “quickly direct the most appropriate response” to incidents, with video also being of potential help in investigating the cause of fires.
The report suggests the app could also be used to report non-emergency fire risks and contain useful information such as the location of fire stations.
Mr Arbour said: “This mobile app would enable reliable, accurate information about the type and scale of an incident to reach the control room in real time, speeding up the appropriate response and potentially saving lives.
“It is clearly a sensible idea to utilise helpful technology that is so readily available and the Mayor of London should be encouraging the creation and adoption of a London-specific app for our city’s fire service.”
But Stephen Knight, a Liberal Democrat member of the Assembly who also sits on the fire authority, said Mr Arbour’s app could put people in harm’s way.
He commented: “While the emergency services should always be examining how technology can provide a better service I am sceptical that encouraging the public to life stream footage of fires and other incidents is a good idea.
“Members of the public could be putting themselves at risk by filming and vital seconds in making an ordinary phone call could also be lost.”
