Hampshire Firefighters Safer and Public Better Served with Integrated Communications

The agreement will enhance communications and the safety of fire staff both in-vehicle and on the frontline.

The new MOTOTRBO DP4601e portable radios will provide the fire service with a range of innovative features such as push-to-talk instantaneous communication, enhanced audio quality, integrated accelerometers for man-down protection, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi.

The agreement will also see Command Support Vehicles use Motorola Solutions’ WAVE 5000 Mobile Communicator service to provide reliable access to the Airwave network, as well as to Hampshire’s own DMR talk group. This will drive real-time collaboration and enable staff to communicate via voice or text using a range of networks, in any location and in any environment via an easy-to-use application.

The result is a unified communications network that will enable Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service staff to experience a superior level of fireground communication in even the most difficult or hazardous of conditions.

The integrated service will see over 1,800 members of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service benefit from superior in-vehicle, in-building and frontline communications allowing the fire service to provide a superior level of support to 1.8 million Hampshire citizens.

“The safety of our local Hampshire citizens and wellbeing of our firefighters is of paramount importance to the fire service, which is why we have chosen to upgrade our communications equipment to an advanced digital system. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service aims to be fully digital by August 2017,” said Peter Clarke, station manager operational technologies.

“As a fire and rescue service we cover 1,455 square miles of the country, protecting millions of Hampshire residents and visitors. We require a communication service that could provide an enhanced level of safety, clarity and functionality that is simple and intuitive to use so that our teams can concentrate on our primary objective: responding to incidents and protecting the public. We want our firefighters to have the best possible technology to feel equipped to deliver excellence in their roles,” concluded Clarke.

If frontline firefighters have to enter into a hazardous environment, the fire service has the option of switching to an ATEX version of the MOTOTRBO radios. Featuring the highest ATEX/IEC Ex gas explosion group rating, the DP4801Ex radios are ideal for working in hazardous areas with loud noise, rough weather and dangerous conditions including combustible dust, explosive chemicals, gas leaks and flammable hydrocarbons.

“Our experience providing mission-critical communications systems for public safety organisations throughout the world has told us that providing reliable, crystal-clear communication is only half the challenge. In the middle of an emergency situation, a firefighter’s radio is not just a communication device but one of the most important pieces of equipment they carry, providing a link to support staff, critical information, location data and access to safety services such as man-down alerts,” said Phil Jefferson, MSSSI vice president, sales and service for UK and Ireland at Motorola Solutions.

“We launched the MOTOTRBO Professional Digital Two-Way Radio System 10 years ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength as we have added new features in response to feedback from our customers. We are now on our third generation of devices, and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is an example of how public safety organisations are turning to the MOTOTRBO range to connect teams effortlessly and efficiently wherever they work, driving workforce productivity and most importantly safety,” concluded Jefferson.

“Working with Motorola Solutions, we are committed to providing the very best service for public safety organisations, in the control room, in a vehicle or on the frontline. Our experience, combined with Motorola Solutions innovative products and services, allows us to empower fire services such as Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, providing an enhanced level of service the public can rely on,” said Simon Bingham, senior account manager, Radiocoms.

Picture: Courtesey of Hampshire Fire and Rescue