Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
BULAWAYO Fire and Ambulance Services has turned to technology to curb the growing problem of false alarms, with the brigade having attended to 231 such calls between January and September this year.
The false alarms have placed a financial strain on the department, particularly through fuel costs, while diverting emergency crews and potentially delaying responses to genuine distress calls.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo said the department was working with the City of Bulawayo’s information technology department to install a new application that will help identify callers and pinpoint their exact locations.
He said the department currently relied on information such as telephone numbers to assist in locating callers through its Geographic Information System (GIS).
“When we receive a call, we request certain data like telephone numbers so that we use our Geographic Information System (GIS). We are now in the process of installing an application called Here you Go and once successfully installed this thing of false alarms will come to an end. Our IT department is busy on that. The application will be able to provide us with the exact location and identity of the caller,” said Mr Moyo.
The new system is expected to strengthen the department’s ability to verify emergency calls and identify individuals making false reports, helping to ensure that emergency resources are available for people who genuinely need assistance.
