Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service opens new control room after move
The project took 18 months to complete, which the council said was "a short timeframe for a project of this scale". Twenty-three new members of staff have been hired to work in the control room.
The council said it would be collaborating with Norfolk and Hertfordshire fire services, which were adopting the same technology systems. It said the control room could see calls being handled in those counties during busy periods or during larger emergencies such as flooding. The new technology allows control room staff to work remotely, however the BBC understands it would only be used where necessary, such as if the building needed to be evacuated or weather conditions stopped staff from getting to work, rather than routine working from home.
Jon Lacey, the chief fire officer for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: "This project is about making sure every call for help is answered with speed, precision and care. "Bringing services back into the county was a decisive move to put Suffolk's residents and public value at the heart of emergency response."
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