FIRE CREWS in West Yorkshire hope to strike a deal that will use CCTV cameras to spot fires.
The West Yorkshire Fire Authority has been debating changes to its radio system.
The discussions have been brought about because firefighters' shared channel with the police is to close.
The new system - if the WYFA executive committee gives it the green light on Friday - will see fire crews sharing with five West Yorkshire local authorities.
The new system, known as West Yorkshire Broadband Network (WYBN) means that control centre staff will be able to tap into West Yorkshire's extensive CCTV system and look at sites where fires have been reported.
It will cost £116,000 to set up but after that will cost £25,000 annually - £4,000 a year cheaper than the present deal.
Fire chiefs had looked at a number of options for radio contact.
Keeping the new system or creating a brand new one was deemed too expensive.
Chiefs had discussed also using mobile phones.
Kirklees councillor Mehboob Khan, who sits on the West Yorkshire board, said: "This is an excellent system we will be able to link it across West Yorkshire and also use the CCTV."
