A LIFE-SAVING idea developed on the Wilton chemical complex has earned national recognition.

Workers for SembCorp Utilities are using aerial mapping to guide fire engines to incidents on the 2,000-acre site, in the fastest possible time.

The Geographical Information System uses aerial imagery to map a geocoded representation of the earth's geography. Jon Rokk, SembCorp's commercial manager, said: "That information includes not only the fastest route to the location, but also pinpoint references to the location of fire hydrants, pipelines and other key installations. It also gives details of the precise layout of plants and buildings - saving critical minutes and possibly saving lives."

Adapting GIS technology so that crews can tap into information in the cab of a SembCorp fire engine while racing to a callout earned the company a place in the finals of the Best Use of Technology category at the National Business Awards.