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| 'Catastrophic' dispatch system 'causes fire engine delays' | 'Catastrophic' dispatch system 'causes fire engine delays' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Firefighters are delayed in getting to emergencies due to a "catastrophic" dispatching system, the BBC has found. | Firefighters are delayed in getting to emergencies due to a "catastrophic" dispatching system, the BBC has found. |
| According to sources, the system used by London Fire Brigade regularly crashes and often fails to dispatch the closest fire engine. | |
| "There's no doubt that the safety of firefighters and the public has been compromised as a result," the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said. | "There's no doubt that the safety of firefighters and the public has been compromised as a result," the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said. |
| Capita, which runs the system, said there were "very occasional problems". | Capita, which runs the system, said there were "very occasional problems". |
| The fire brigade said the system had "brought a range of improvements". | The fire brigade said the system had "brought a range of improvements". |
| Pen and paper | Pen and paper |
| The Vision 4DS system has crashed at least five times and once remained offline for three hours since its implementation in November 2015, publically available documents show. | The Vision 4DS system has crashed at least five times and once remained offline for three hours since its implementation in November 2015, publically available documents show. |
| Control room workers were forced to use a pen and paper to take details and mobilise fire crews. | Control room workers were forced to use a pen and paper to take details and mobilise fire crews. |
| "It was like going back 40 years," one worker told the BBC. | "It was like going back 40 years," one worker told the BBC. |
| Capita was awarded a £19.6m contract to provide the system to London Fire Brigade in March 2012. | Capita was awarded a £19.6m contract to provide the system to London Fire Brigade in March 2012. |
| A spokesperson said they were aware of "very occasional intermittent problems with the software". | A spokesperson said they were aware of "very occasional intermittent problems with the software". |
| They added the brigade had a "well-practised contingency plans in place to ensure the ability to respond to incidents is not impacted by any interruptions to its control centre service whatsoever". | They added the brigade had a "well-practised contingency plans in place to ensure the ability to respond to incidents is not impacted by any interruptions to its control centre service whatsoever". |
| At least 14 other emergencies, including fires and car crashes, have been affected by failures in the system, according to documents seen by the BBC. | At least 14 other emergencies, including fires and car crashes, have been affected by failures in the system, according to documents seen by the BBC. |
| However, the FBU estimates the number of cases affected could "run into the thousands". | However, the FBU estimates the number of cases affected could "run into the thousands". |
| In one incident, a woman lay trapped under a double-decker bus while the nearest available fire engine - which was 200m (650ft) down the road - was not mobilised. Fire services that did attend took six minutes to arrive. | In one incident, a woman lay trapped under a double-decker bus while the nearest available fire engine - which was 200m (650ft) down the road - was not mobilised. Fire services that did attend took six minutes to arrive. |
| "The worry is someone could be seriously injured, or maybe even lose their life," Paul Embery, London regional secretary to the FBU, said. | "The worry is someone could be seriously injured, or maybe even lose their life," Paul Embery, London regional secretary to the FBU, said. |
| No deaths are known to be attributable to delays caused by the system. | No deaths are known to be attributable to delays caused by the system. |
| The FBU has claimed an increase in control office staff signed off sick due to stress was also linked to frustrations with the system. | The FBU has claimed an increase in control office staff signed off sick due to stress was also linked to frustrations with the system. |
| 'House would have been gone' | 'House would have been gone' |
| A 75-year-old man began fighting a fire that had consumed his garage as he waited 14 minutes for a fire engine to arrive. | A 75-year-old man began fighting a fire that had consumed his garage as he waited 14 minutes for a fire engine to arrive. |
| Halim Shukri said he believed "most of the stuff could have been saved" if firefighters arrived inside the six minute target. | Halim Shukri said he believed "most of the stuff could have been saved" if firefighters arrived inside the six minute target. |
| A fault in the system meant fire engines had been dispatched from up to eight miles (12km) away, while the nearest station - nearly two miles down the road - was not contacted for more than 15 minutes. | A fault in the system meant fire engines had been dispatched from up to eight miles (12km) away, while the nearest station - nearly two miles down the road - was not contacted for more than 15 minutes. |
| "A delay of another five minutes and this house would have been gone," Mr Shukri added. | "A delay of another five minutes and this house would have been gone," Mr Shukri added. |
| Originally scheduled to launch in July 2014, the system was not implemented until November 2015 following concerns raised by fire brigade staff. | Originally scheduled to launch in July 2014, the system was not implemented until November 2015 following concerns raised by fire brigade staff. |
| Capita was subject to at least £600,000 in "delay payments" under the terms of the contract. | Capita was subject to at least £600,000 in "delay payments" under the terms of the contract. |
| During the procurement process, the company promised an improved search facility, more accurate mobilising and new technology to locate callers using their mobile phones. | During the procurement process, the company promised an improved search facility, more accurate mobilising and new technology to locate callers using their mobile phones. |
| "We received several guarantees... but when it went live it was catastrophic," said Tam MacFarlane, a member of the FBU executive council. | "We received several guarantees... but when it went live it was catastrophic," said Tam MacFarlane, a member of the FBU executive council. |
| While there have been improvements, control room staff are working "with one arm tied behind their back because it's still dogged by technical glitches," Mr Embery said. | While there have been improvements, control room staff are working "with one arm tied behind their back because it's still dogged by technical glitches," Mr Embery said. |
| "Questions need to be asked why so much taxpayers' money was spent on a system that clearly was not ready to go live when it did," he added. | "Questions need to be asked why so much taxpayers' money was spent on a system that clearly was not ready to go live when it did," he added. |
| 'Better and safer' | 'Better and safer' |
| A London Fire Brigade spokesman said all the issues raised by the BBC investigation were "being dealt with by the brigade and Capita". | A London Fire Brigade spokesman said all the issues raised by the BBC investigation were "being dealt with by the brigade and Capita". |
| Figures from the brigade show crews have successfully attended more than 100,000 emergency incidents under the new system. | Figures from the brigade show crews have successfully attended more than 100,000 emergency incidents under the new system. |
| Its director of operations, Dave Brown, said the system provided greater detail to fire crews "meaning a better and even safer system of work for firefighters". | Its director of operations, Dave Brown, said the system provided greater detail to fire crews "meaning a better and even safer system of work for firefighters". |
| He added: "So far the system has contributed to a seven second improvement in the average first appliance attendance times for fire engines across London." | He added: "So far the system has contributed to a seven second improvement in the average first appliance attendance times for fire engines across London." |
| The Vision system is currently also used by fire brigades in Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Somerset and Hampshire. | The Vision system is currently also used by fire brigades in Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Somerset and Hampshire. |