Emergency services prepare for busiest night of year

Scotland's emergency services have been preparing for their busiest night of the year.

In Glasgow, they are watching over bonfire night from a Nasa-style control centre in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour.

It comes less than a week after riot police were called to disturbances involving fireworks in Dundee.

Last bonfire night eight fire crews and several police officers were attacked, with three firefighters injured.

In the last five years, about 60 people in Scotland were treated in hospital for firework-related injuries.

Police, the fire service and Glasgow City Council are working from the operations centre in London Road - the largest control room in the UK.

A mass of screens show live footage of public space CCTV cameras across the city. Vans equipped with cameras will also react and follow any emerging incidents.

It links directly with Police Scotland's Greater Glasgow division's Operation Moonbeam events room to co-ordinate specially-trained officers.

Temporary Ch Insp Elaine Tomlinson said this year's approach was different.

"We will have police officers, Scottish Fire and Rescue and Glasgow City Council with us. The Wheatley Group housing organisation will be with us virtually," she said. "They will be able to take up any incidents that we have with their tenants.

"It is an opportunity to come together and make sure we give the best service to the people of Glasgow this weekend."

She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme the mobile cameras are link to the control centre.

"Then we can send our fire officers and police officers to coordinate any response to anti-social behaviour," she added.

Police have worked with other agencies to analyse council and police intelligence and have selected three areas within Glasgow that staff can focus on.

The operation has been planned for months, but violent scenes in Dundee on Monday reinforced the danger emergency services are under.

Ch Insp Tomlinson said: "Dundee was unfortunate and very challenging for our police and fire officers in Dundee, but we are certainly very well forward-planned for this."

Cllr Elaine McSporran, Glasgow's safety champion, said: "This new joint operations centre will ensure a rapid, co-ordinated response to any bonfire/ fireworks related incidents.

"In recent years, the partners have worked increasingly closely around 5 November and having the teams physically based together in the operations centre, with the oversight offered by the CCTV cameras, will enhance that partnership even further.

"I'm sure communities will benefit from this new strategy and urge residents to support all the services by reporting unlit bonfires or any they seem under construction ahead of the night."

Glasgow Station Commander Marc McGill, from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, added: "Bonfire Night is one of the busiest times of the year for our crews. This new control room in Glasgow will enhance our partnership working to keep communities safe."

Meanwhile, a senior firefighter in Edinburgh has urged the public to only attend professional events.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer David Farries, who is based at Sighthill, told BBC Scotland: "We believe the best way of having fun on Bonfire Night is to attend an event that is well organised, well run and safe.

"And the quality of the show and the fireworks is likely to be better."

Mr Ferries appealed to those planning to stage celebrations at home not to approach a firework that had been lit.

In addition he stressed the importance of reading instructions and having something that could be used to extinguish flames nearby.

Mr Ferries also warned the misuse and "weaponisation" of fireworks could result in "horrific burns and injuries".