News / Calls for single local emergency control room
SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott is calling for a control room to be established in the isles that would coordinate all local emergency services call outs.
The Lib Dem politician’s demand comes after last month’s decision to close the fire and police control rooms in Inverness and Aberdeen following the creation of single police and fire services in Scotland.
The idea is supported by Shetland Islands Council convener Malcolm Bell although it is currently not part of the discussions the council is having with the SNP government in Edinburgh over greater autonomy for the isles.
On Tuesday, Scott condemned the Scottish government’s record on centralisation and predicted that the country would eventually end up with just one central belt-based control room for all blue light services.
He said a control room in Lerwick incorporating the coastguard, police, fire as well as the ambulance service would benefit from detailed local knowledge and be able to respond to emergency quickly and accurately.
“At the moment you can’t even get into the police station all the time because it is undermanned.
“Police, fire, coastguard and ambulance could be in the same building. That would allow all the local functions of emergencies to be co-ordinated from one place.
“The sterling efforts of all including many volunteers was self evident when the helicopter ditched near Sumburgh last August. There seems little reason why Shetland should not aim for an integrated local service,” the MSP said
Scott and Bell are now seeking a meeting with fire board chiefs to float their idea and also to voice worries that increased centralisation is putting lives at risk in rural areas.
Bell, a former police area commander for the isles, said: “Our concept requires the services themselves to come together and be willing to be part of it.
“In a small compact area like Shetland this could work. I know from my own experience that the emergency services in Shetland have always worked very well together.”
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