Airbus Defence and Space UK has recently been awarded the Mobile Data Terminal contract by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services as part of an ongoing project to replace the two counties 999 emergency mobilising system.
Before awarding the contract for Airbus UK’s SAFEcommand system, which is developed and managed from their offices in Newcastle, a thorough process was conducted to ensure it could meet the needs of both Services in providing an effective and efficient emergency service to the communities of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The SAFEcommand system delivers critical data to firefighters on fire engines via a mobile data terminal (MDT).
Nottinghamshire’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Mick Sharman, who is the strategic lead for the joint Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire project, said:
“Mobile data terminals are an essential piece of equipment used by firefighters responding to emergency incidents, and for use when working in the community.
“Every fire engine has an MDT which provides the fire crew with access to critical data including the location of fire hydrants, hazardous material data, risk information, data relating to car manufacturing specifications which can support their response to road traffic collisions and critically, they provide a navigation system to get our fire engines to our communities when they need us most.
“Therefore, ensuring we have the right MDT’s equipped with the right operating system, which are robust and can meet the needs of both Services, has been an essential part of the ongoing 3-year project to replace the mobilising system currently being used in a collaborative dual-Service agreement.
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“Our project team and project board were impressed by the SAFEcommand mobile data solution offered by Airbus and were awarded the contract that will see this being installed on every fire engine across both counties when the project is rolled out in Autumn 2025.”
Paul Trewhitt (Airbus, Newcastle), responsible for the SAFEcommand business line, added: “I am delighted to welcome Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services to the SAFEcommand community. We look forward to working with them to deliver our MDT solution, and to building a long and successful relationship over the coming years.”
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services operate a joint control room based in Derbyshire, where 999 control operators handle emergency calls and mobilise resources across both counties.
This project – to replace the current emergency mobilising system – commenced in 2022 and is due to be completed in Autumn 2025.
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With many critical infrastructure elements making up a fire and rescue services mobilising system, from the systems that control operators use to mobilise firefighters and resources to incidents, to the live data that crews have available to them on a fire engine, a dedicated team has been established to ensure all elements of the project provide a resilient, efficient, and effective 999 mobilising system that best meets the needs of our communities and Services.
