The Emergency Tech Show brought emergency services leaders, frontline professionals and technology providers together at NEC Birmingham on 16 and 17 September. Zetron joined the event, where our team demonstrated Cortex ICCS and Zetron CAD and spoke with visitors about the operational pressures facing today’s control rooms. If you missed ETS 2026 or need a quick run-down, we’ve captured the top 5 themes below. Five themes stood out from ETS 2026 1. Artificial intelligence must prove its operational value Artificial intelligence was one of the most visible topics at ETS, but conversations shifted from broad claims to doubling down on its potential. Sessions examined responsible AI in policing, AI agents handling online 101 enquiries and the challenge of taking a promising pilot into force wide use. For control rooms, the most relevant AI examples focused on practical assistance. These included: real time transcription language translation keyword detection to help operators process information more quickly while retaining control of the decision. AI should help staff find, understand and act on information, but accountability must remain clear and human oversight must be built in. Services will increasingly expect evidence of accuracy, governance, integration and measurable time saved before deploying it at scale. 2. Connected data is becoming the foundation for faster decisions Many of the operational problems discussed at ETS were not caused by a lack of information. They were caused by information being spread across separate systems, formats and organisations. The programme highlighted examples of Police Forces connecting operational data, sharing digital evidence and building common platforms across organisational boundaries. A dedicated session also asked what emergency services need to do so that systems can communicate and data can be shared more effectively. For the control room, connected data can reduce duplicate entry, make relevant context easier to find and support a clearer operational picture. The value comes from bringing the right information into the operator’s workflow at the right time, without adding another screen or forcing staff to piece the incident together manually. 3. ESN readiness is moving from strategy into delivery planning The transition to the Emergency Services Network remained a major priority. A Home Office-led session focused on progress and how deployment is being planned with emergency services across Great Britain. Members of the Zetron team also met the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme at the show to continue practical discussions around deployment and customer preparation. The central message is that readiness cannot wait until a migration date is confirmed. Control rooms need time to understand how current technology, operational processes, training and local dependencies will be affected. Early engagement gives services a better opportunity to identify the work required and plan change without putting continuity at risk. Following the award of a UK Home Office contract, Zetron is developing an ESN compatible upgrade for Cortex ICCS. Our focus is on giving existing customers a clear, supported route through the transition as the national programme progresses. 4. Resilience must be designed into everyday operations Resilience ran through the show well beyond its dedicated Resilience360 programme. Cyber threats, extreme weather, disruption to critical infrastructure and unreliable connectivity were all considered as operational risks rather than distant scenarios. Resilience is not only about recovering a system after failure. It also depends on how services prepare, how teams maintain visibility during disruption, how communications continue and how quickly people can adapt when normal arrangements are unavailable. For mission critical control rooms, ‘most of the time’ is not an acceptable standard. Technology decisions must account for security, availability, continuity and recovery from the outset, with the operational impact of any failure understood clearly. 5. Frontline trust will determine which technology scales A recurring theme across ETS was the gap between a successful demonstration and a solution that people rely on every day. The programme explored trust between emergency services and technology providers, responsible deployment and the practical work required to move beyond pilots. Technology is more likely to succeed when frontline users are involved early, operational requirements are explicit and suppliers are open about limitations as well as benefits. That approach produces systems shaped around real workflows and gives organisations a stronger basis for adoption, training and continuous improvement. The strongest technology partnerships will be judged by outcomes in the live environment: less time spent searching or re-entering information, clearer decisions and dependable performance when demand is high. What the five trends mean for control rooms AI, data, communications and cloud technology are all advancing, but each must work within the operational reality of the control room. ETS 2026 elevated the need for connected systems in order to support people rather than distract them, provide a clearer view of live activity and remain dependable under pressure. For control room leaders, the next step is to assess where information, processes or ageing technology still create friction and decide which changes will deliver a practical improvement for operators and the public. If your organisation is preparing for ESN or reviewing how its CAD and ICCS technology supports demand, decision making and operational continuity, speak to the Zetron team.
