By Callum Wright
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service will start a trial of body-worn video cameras to protect staff following a rise in ‘significant’ incidents.
Firefighters from Stapleford, London Road and Stockhill Fire Stations, as well as senior officers, will wear the new cameras during a five-week trial before they’re planned to be implemented across the whole service in Spring 2025.
The decision for the new technology to be used came after a rise in attacks towards emergency service workers across the country.
The service also said there had been specific incidents that Nottinghamshire crews have been affected by in recent years which have also led to the move.
As well as being used to deter people from acting aggressively against staff, the body-worn cameras will also be used to gather evidence, and allow staff to be more transparent.
As recently as November this year fireworks were launched at emergency services as they responded to an incident in Radford on Bonfire Night, leading to an investigation and 48-hour dispersal order in the area.
Other recent incidents in Nottinghamshire involving attacks on the fire service include a group of people throwing golf balls at firefighters as they tried to control a nature reserve fire near Mansfield in 2022, and a group of firefighters being attacked by a man in Retford as they attended a burning sofa fire in a garden, also in 2022.
Group Manager Chris Emmott said: “Our staff are dedicated to keeping our communities of Nottinghamshire safe, and we want to ensure that our frontline staff can do that confidently, without the fear of violence or intimidation.
“Sadly, we have seen attacks on our operational members of staff and our vehicles over the years, especially during the busier periods, so we are hopeful that having these cameras will help reduce them across the country.
“Ensuring our teams have the tools and support they need to carry out their duties effectively is vital and implementing these cameras is just one step to becoming an outstanding fire and rescue service by 2032.
“If you do see a firefighter wearing a body-worn camera over the next few weeks, please don’t be alarmed – they are also in place to protect the public, as well as our staff.”
Home Office national statistics show during the 12 months to March 2024 there were 967 incidents involving an attack on firefighters, including verbal abuse, resulting in 96 injuries – 14 of them requiring a hospital stay.
