LESS talk saves lives, say Mersey Regional Ambulance Service.
They are putting new technology in their ambulances to cut down the need for talk between paramedics and the control room.
Precise information about 999 calls will soon be sent digitally straight to an on-board computer, telling ambulances where to go and who to treat much quicker.
The new system will allow the nearest ambulance to the incident to be sent along the quickest route at the touch of a button.
MRAS chief executive, Janet Davies, said: "At the moment all the communication between the ambulance and control centre is through them speaking to each other.
"This is a good system but it does have drawbacks - sometimes the speech quality is not good so misunderstandings can arise, it isn't secure and it can also take a relatively long time."
The system will use a digital network similar to those used by mobile phone companies and will allow patient and incident details to be sent securely and instantly to paramedics.
Where the ambulance is and what action the paramedics have taken can also be accurately relayed back to the control room without the need to talk over muffled or crackling airwaves.
The new equipment will be installed in all 150 MRAS ambulances and support vehicles and phased in over the summer.
"This is a fantastic step forward," Janet Davies said. "It means when someone needs our help we are in a position to locate the nearest available ambulance and deploy it to the scene even more quickly."
