Australia: The lack of communications put peoples' lives in danger

[brey1234]

An Australian commission looking into the deadly brushfires that swept Victoria state last August heard testimony this week that police officials knew its digital radio system wasn't compatible with the analog system used by rural agencies. The lack of communications put peoples' lives in danger, the panel was told by witnesses. Documents were also presented that said a planned integration of the two systems was delayed. Read more about the commission hearings here (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25505820-5019015,00.html).

 

[radioaustralia]

An Australian commission looking into the deadly brushfires that swept Victoria state last August heard testimony this week that police officials knew its digital radio system wasn't compatible with the analog system used by rural agencies. The lack of communications put peoples' lives in danger, the panel was told by witnesses. Documents were also presented that said a planned integration of the two systems was delayed. Read more about the commission hearings here (Cop radios a &squo;major disability&squo;, bushfires royal commission hears | Herald Sun).

What I find disturbing is how they label the SMR system as being troubled, yet in every article released and by the looks of it the evidence given to the commission they are getting the metro digital network and the rural analogue network mixed up for the SMR system. It would seem that they (whoever they are) think that the SMR is the across the board name for the entire police communications network, which is not the case.

I am somewhat surprised that they haven't yet picked up on this.

By reading the media reports so far nothing has been tabled to say that the SMR system is not performing as well as it could or should, only that the two main police networks (metro and rural) have coverage issues and that they aren't compatible.

 

[62Truck]

thats why I think, we should just stick to good old analog.