German Public Safety TETRA network proves itself during large-scale exercise at Berlin Brandenburg Airport

Recently the German Public Safety Digital Radio network was put to test during a large-scale exercise at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. The collision between a packed plane with a well packed bus was the scenario in the major exercise that was held on the 16 March 2016.

The exercise, named MANV 500 was simulated with 500 ‘casualties’. For the state of Brandenburg it was the first exercise of this magnitude, in which 1,400 forces had to prepare themselves for the worst possible scenario. As expected, the digital BOS radio network contributed to the success of the exercise.

In this local and transnational exercise emergency services, fire services, civil protection authorities, state and federal police and the Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH worked closely together. The objective of the large-scale exercise was, in addition to the initial treatment and care of a large number of those affected, focused on the review of management structures, communication and interfaces of the participating emergency services.

With the opening of the new airport, an increase of plane, train and road transport is expected. Therefore, in order to be prepared for the worst, already in April 2014 preparations of the “MCI 500 large-scale exercise started.

To ensure the optimal management and coordination of forces during the entire exercise 13 groups communicated in TMO and 22 groups used communications in DMO.

As a result, those in charge were very satisfied with the training exercise as the use of communication via the new digital BOS radio network worked as intended. The network has proven itself for the use in a situation of a mass attack. It secured a reliable means of communication for the forces of the emergency services and civil protection.

Picture courtesy: BDBOS/Böttche

Link to original text in German Language