22/02/2017 Points West

Claims that lives have been put at risk after the computer

system handling calls for one of our emergency services failed.

And Avon and Somerset Police say they're investigating two

allegations of female genital mutilation.

And tomorrow's weather focuses firmly on Storm Doris. I will

explain its likely effect in the West Country later in the programme.

Tonight the MP for South West Wiltshire said he'll look

into claims the computer system handling calls for Dorset

Wiltshire Fire Service is putting lives at risk.

After talking to the BBC Andrew Murrison says he'll

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have responded

to more than 42,000 calls since the new call handling system

provided by Capita was put in place in the summer of 2015.

It is designed to break down borders between the three Fire and rescue

areas it covers and deploy fire engines from the closest

station to every incident but there's been problems.

Well, just on Monday, we had two very common faults

Kate Scott is a control room operator and local rap

The system fails and we are unable to mobilise fire engines.

When you are answering 999 calls, you are trying to do the best

you possibly can for that person on the end of the phone

and when you are not able to do that as effectively as you would like,

it is very frustrating and stressful for the operators.

A freedom of information request from the BBC has revealed

over the last 18 months, there have been several problems.

These include the system failing to work and cause having to be taken

The union says the system must be fixed.

It has simply been a matter of chance that lives have

not been lost to date, but I tell you what,

It has taken us longer to reach some incidents because of this system.

We have seen fire appliances mobilised

I am going to write to ministers to find out

what overview they have taken, whether they share my concerns,

which I sincerely hope they do, and what they are going to do

I think this is something we need to do it as a matter of urgency.

The three areas using this system, Dorset and Wiltshire,

Devon and Somerset, and Hampshire Fire And Rescue

Of course, we are aware there have been problems and we are doing

everything we possibly can with partners Capita and others

to ensure that those problems are resolved.

There is absolutely no risk of us not responding.

So in the event of emergency that requires fire rescue

service response, dial 999 and we will respond and we will be

Capita says it system was introduced after robust testing and it

will continue to work with the Fire Service

Two Avon and Somerset Police officers are being investigated

for gross misconduct after tasering the wrong man.

It's part of an investigation by the Independent Police

The victim, who was 63 was a former race relations advisor.

Police have tonight released new CCTV footage of the missing

The video shows him walking along the road outside the Thekla

nightclub after a night out with friends there

Avon and Somerset Police say they now have two active

investigations into cases of Female Genital Mutilation.

It's illegal here, but common in many African countries

and is a concern in parts of Bristol where Somali and

Today a leading FGM charity held a meeting on how perceptions

The majority of the women in this room will have suffered

But to speak of it is still shameful.

There's a culture of silence, which makes

A lot of these women have also come through multiple forms of trauma.

They may have come from a country where there has been war

So you have the FGM, you have the conflict from the war,

so you have to do is sort of pack in and pick out all these issues

and then ensure that the women are adequately supported.

Many women here grew up in African countries

In Somalia, Sudan, even Egypt, 80% of girls have their genitals

cut or changed for no medical reason whatsoever.

The police and social services are doing what they can to try

These communities come from countries where they've been

persecuted, they are fearful of the police and social care.

I think if you spoke to any person in Bristol,

if you said social services and police are coming to your house,

But they go to their houses for every form of child abuse

and FGM is just another form of child abuse and we need

to reassure them that we don't treat this any differently.

In a short space of time, perception has started to shift.

The message about the risk to women's health is

But new women and refugees continue to move to this city So the work

to spare future generations from this brutal

Earlier, I spoke to Lisa Zimmermann, who set up a charity called

Integrate UK which made a video featuring young women against FGM.

I asked her if she was encouraged there are now two active police

I think there has been a huge improvement over recent years

and I think a lot of members of the community are engaged

but there is still work to do and I think a lot of people

I think above all, the youth engagement has helped to engage

the parents and the more awareness is raised and the more it has

become acceptable to talk about these issues openly,

the easier it is for the communities to talk about FGM.

You mentioned the youth engagement, that's the key here, isn't it?

I think it is the key globally actually.

I think the fact that young people are just saying enough, no more,

and they are leading a wave, not just in this country

but globally and they are also challenging politicians in a way

It's a cultural issue though, isn't it?

I think it is interesting that people keep calling it this issue

or that issue because you know originally people would say

it is a Somali issue, it is an African issue,

no, it is not just Africa, it is also the Middle East,

it is not just the Middle East and Africa, it is also

the Philippines, so it keeps going, but actually we were practising FGM

FGM as you are now talking about, but if you are looking

If it is not medically necessary, what is the difference

It is a form of surgical intervention that women are...

Or girls feel if they are under 18 then it is a child protection issue.

Girls are made to feel that their body needs

Well, yes, the charity has made a video, the young people have made

a video because of an article that appeared in the Economist last

We haven't had a video that had such amazing response.

I think it's around one million and 50,000, something

So what is your hope with this whole issue around FGM?

I would love to see statutory PSHE in schools, not just

around FGM but around all gender-based violence.

I would like to see gender-based violence including FGM

The resistance to this education in schools is something I cannot

I would like to see far more stringent controls

I mean, we all want FGM to end in a generation and I think

the progress that has been made over the last few years,

it is something to be celebrated but we cannot stop now.

Bristol city have lost to follow tonight to remain in the relegation

zone. They remain 21st in the championship table and travel to

Newcastle on Saturday. But as it from us. Now time for the weather

forecast. Thank you very much. Good evening

everybody. Let's take you through the forecast as we head into

tomorrow. It'll be a windy day. Fairly widespread risk of Gailes.

There will be a wet face to the day in the morning. Any of you will be

under drier conditions but still remaining quite windy. Now, Storm

Doris has been getting a lot of press. It will be areas to the north

that will see the most profound impacts from this. There will be

some quite damaging winds across part of the Midlands and snow in

Scotland. For us, the winds will be 40 mph but some areas exposed to the

wind, be closer to 50 or 60, maybe even more than that. Difficult

conditions out on the roads. We have a lot of rain at the moment and all

that a precursor to the arrival of Storm Doris into tomorrow. We will

continue to be watching for a cold front moving in at light tomorrow

morning. This is where the wind is really start to pick up. A mild

night, tomorrow morning, that band of rain marching its way eastwards.

The winds will be quite strong on that and will remain so through the

afternoon. A few showers but looking mostly dry. Temperatures tomorrow

will some sunshine around and light

winds.