Scotland's fire services launch new Firelink digital radio system

A new state-of-the-art communications system will enable Scotland's eight fire and rescue services (FRS) to communicate directly with incident command centers, police forces and other fire vehicles throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK. Fergus Ewing, Minister for Community Safety, has launched Firelink, which is being installed in over 1,200 fire and rescue service vehicles and eight regional control centers across Scotland.

Firelink will deliver a geographical coverage of some 90,000 square miles from urban areas to the most remote rural communities. It is also being introduced throughout England and Wales, ensuring one common system for every emergency response vehicle in the UK. The system, which will cost US$62 million (£37 million), is due to be operational in every fire appliance in Scotland by the first half of 2010.

The new system will replace eight outdated analogue radio systems currently used by the FRS. It will deliver significant improvements in sound quality, functionality and reliability to Scotland's 8,000 frontline firefighters. It will also include a "priority call function" which will allow fire appliances to call for urgent assistance in circumstances such as when they are being attacked.

The key benefits of Firelink include more effective and safer service delivery through clearer voice communication and call group management for incident mobilization and management; the ability to send data and status codes to/from mobile vehicles – a faster/more accurate medium than voice communication; and, in Wales, Scotland and London, the ability to identify and mobilize the nearest available appliance through an automated vehicle location (AVL) system.

The system is being developed and built by Airwave Solutions Limited, and it will be part of the airwave private digital network. It is a private, digital, secure, TETRA or terrestrial trunk radio network, and will replace the many different existing networks commissioned by individual fire and rescue services.
 

3 August 2009