Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is to trial a new firefighting robot in a bid to protect fighters, free up resources and resolve incidents more quickly.
The technology, which resembles a bomb disposal robot, can be remotely operated from 600 metres away and has a hose attachment that can spray up to 2,000 litres of water a minute.
The robot can be sent into hotspots that are difficult and risky for humans to enter, such as fires at industrial and commercial sites.
Equipped with a camera and thermal technology, the robot can gather information to give firefighters a better understanding of the type of incident they’re facing.
Other features integrated into the robot include audio capability to give instructions and the ability to help remove people from areas on a stretcher.
Mark Gosling, group manager at KFRS, said: “This is a really exciting addition for us.
“There are three main reasons why we’ve introduced it into the service and that is keeping firefighters safe, reducing the number...