Mallacoota fire fighters now have access to clearer, high-quality dispatch communications during emergencies, following the roll-out of the new $66million Regional Radio Dispatch Service (RRDS) in eastern Victoria.
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Country Fire Authority District 11 operations officer Glenn Harrap said the switch to RRDS means local firefighters now have access to more reliable 24/7 communications and enhanced coverage when talking to Emergency Services Telecommunication Authority (ESTA) dispatch operators over the radio.
“The upgrade to the digital network has given us a whole new level of clarity to our communications,” Mr Harrap said.
“By talking directly to ESTA dispatch operators, brigades can save valuable time during emergencies, which improves safety for our members and the wider community.”
Previously, approximately 45 per cent of CFA’s rural brigades had no direct contact with ESTA and had to relay dispatch communications via a local group communications officer to give important information about the status of an incident and location of crews.
CFA chief officer Euan Ferguson said the feedback from regional brigades had been overwhelmingly positive, and described the network as a new generation of high-quality digital dispatch capability across the state.
The service is already available to Victoria Police, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Ambulance Victoria and brigades in outer metropolitan Melbourne.
All regional CFA districts will be switched on to the new network by the end of the month.
