Police and fire share control room

Norfolk’s police and fire services are now working closer together than ever before with the two services sharing a control room at police HQ.

Emergency operators from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service are now (as of Monday 1 July 2019) co-located within the command and control room at the police Operations and Communications Centre (OCC) at Wymondham.

It’s the latest development in collaboration plans which have already seen the relocation of the fire and rescue analysts team and senior management team to OCC in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

The move aims to provide a more-joined up approach between the two blue light services; delivering further improved service to the counties’ communities while providing savings to the taxpayer.

Chief Fire Officer Stuart Ruff welcomed the move to a joint control room as a great opportunity to embrace a closer working relationship.

"This is an exciting and innovative opportunity for our services and teams, which will benefit the whole county of Norfolk. Working in a modern environment in such close proximity we will be able to effectively share and co-ordinate information and focus on the emergency needs of our communities,” he said.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Sanford welcomed the changes saying: "This move to a single location for both services underlines the constabulary’s wider ambition to look for more opportunities to work collaboratively with the fire service. With a shared headquarters already, a joined up control room is simply the next phase in sharing our resources to provide a better service to the public.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lorne Green said: "Last year’s review of fire service governance and the proposals that came from it have been a powerful catalyst for change in our county – becoming the blueprint for collaboration between Norfolk’s police and fire services.

"I am very pleased to have been able to facilitate this latest move to a shared control room. By improving sharing of information and resources, this is another step on the path to providing better, more cost-effective services and enhanced public safety for Norfolk residents. It also provides greater scope for police and fire service collaboration going forward – the progress of which I will continue to closely monitor.”

Councillor Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet Member for Communities at Norfolk County Council, said: "This is the next stage of Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service working in closer collaboration with Norfolk Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

"Sharing resources and information will improve the service offered to our communities across Norfolk, enhancing our shared mission to keep them safe.”