RWA oversees security specification for West Yorkshire Fire
The Client: West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Serving a population of 2 million people spread over an area of almost 800 square miles, the fire service operates 48 local fire stations across the county with all appliances mobilised in response to 999 calls from the service’s central control room headquarters in Birkenshaw, Bradford.
The Challenge
Recognising the security challenges currently facing all emergency service organisations, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has implemented a rolling programme of upgrades to ensure its stations’ personnel and equipment are protected. A fully integrated security system was required across its network of local fire stations including its Birkenshaw headquarters.
The Solution
Working alongside security partners, Leerose Integrated Systems, RWA was able to fulfil a major security installation at Birkenshaw, including a state-of-the-art automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system which is pre-programmed to recognise only the vehicle license plates of employees, as well as any regular third party visitors or contractors, preventing unauthorised site entry by any other parties. All incoming and outgoing vehicles are monitored and recorded so that even if a breach of security does occur it is recorded for retrospective scrutiny and action.
The comprehensive access control and CCTV measures at Birkenshaw are mirrored on a number of other fire station contracts. RWA has supported Leerose in its installation of access control systems at key sites in Bradford, Leeds and Stanningley and latterly Gipton and Hunslet. Each individual station is able to monitor its own security locally, but the information is also fed into a central control unit at headquarters to provide a county-wide perspective of security measures.
Comment
“Our modernisation programme recognises the increased security challenges facing all our fire stations and RWA and Leerose have combined to provide cost-effective but technologically advanced solutions to many of our prime sites. We have established a good relationship with both companies which we hope to maintain as the security contract roll-out continues.”
West Yorkshire Fire’s Property Manager, Robert Davison
