THE first phase of Wiltshire's controversial joint control centre for emergency services has been officially launched.
High Sheriff of Wiltshire David Newbigging, OBE, untied a ribbon at the entrance of the Wiltshire Emergency Communications Centre in London Road, Devizes.
The combined centre will handle calls to all three of the county's 999 services, and though police and ambulance services accepted the scheme, firefighters went to the brink of strike action over fears the move would diminish quality of service.
The first half of the police operators from Westlea, Swindon, moved in on June 3.
Control room staff from Wiltshire Ambulance NHS Trust are scheduled to move into the new centre on June 24.
The rest of the police control room staff are moving across from their current accommodation in police headquarters at the end of next month.
Fire Brigade operators are scheduled to move in by the autumn.
Bertie Woolnough, chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, Jackie Miller, vice-chairman of Wiltshire Ambulance NHS Trust and Doreen Dart, vice-chairman of Swindon and Wiltshire Fire Authority were present at the launch, together with all three chief officers from the emergency services: Dame Elizabeth Neville, Chief Constable of Wiltshire; Dennis Lauder, Chief Executive of Wiltshire Ambulance NHS Trust and Neil Wright, Chief Fire Officer of Wiltshire Fire Brigade.
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