Frequently asked questions

How many people work for Wiltshire 999s?

We have two members of news staff – one is based in Swindon (covering the north of the county) and the other is based in Bradford on Avon (covering the west of the county). We also have agreements in place with several freelance photographers based in all four corners of Wiltshire – they will only attend more serious incidents at the request of the editor.

How do you get to/cover news stories so quickly?

More often than not, it is the public who make us aware of ongoing incidents. The sooner we’re aware, the sooner we can attend. Once on scene, the story could be live with the available information and a photograph within ten minutes. As accredited press, we also have access to the emergency services’ press offices, control rooms and incident managers/commanders in order to obtain information, fact check and request statements.

Do front-line emergency service personnel support Wiltshire 999s?

Generally, we have a good working relationship with emergency workers and we know that many use our website a source of news. At incidents, we engage with police officers and fire officers the most, and for the most part, our interactions are positive.

Are you allowed to take photographs of people and publish them on your website?

In most circumstances, yes. There is no law – criminal or civil – preventing anybody from taking photographs in public places, this includes photographs of children. It is a civil offence to take photographs on private land, so our team will make every effort not to do this. You can find out more and confirm this by visiting this useful information page on the subject of taking photographs in public on Avon and Somerset Police’s website.

Is Wiltshire 999s affiliated with any emergency service?

Whilst our news team who cover incidents on the ground are formally recognised by the National Police Chiefs’ Council through their UK Press Cards, we are not affiliated or associated with any emergency service. Our brand name Wiltshire 999s was chosen as it represents what we do perfectly.

Do you copy and paste content from other news outlets?

No. This would land us in serious legal trouble. Any content you see duplicated across different news outlets is likely to be press release – this is content released to all the press by organisations for use in stories. This can include photos, words and quotes. Even if we receive a press release, we tend to re-write it/add to it before publishing.


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