NSW State Emergency Service Improving Safety Through Communications

The Australian NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has spent the last few years focusing on significantly increasing the safety of its Membership, and the resilience of NSW communities by focusing on providing access to Critical Operational Communications via the Public Safety Network. The most recent way this is being achieved, is through the Implementation of the Vehicle as a Node (VaaN) technology.  

This technology brings together the use of the PSN, 3g / 4g and Satellite access to the in-vehicle radio, with the outcome of all but eliminating the holes in communications coverage that are faced today when Operational. NSW SES members will experience near constant communication with the State Operations Centre, their Unit Head Quarters and Members operating in the field. Ensuring that when faced with events that cause a loss in communications as faced in the past, the NSW SES is ready.

To date the NSW SES has installed 150 vehicles with this Operational technology and are already seeing benefits.

An aggressive plan to continue this across the Fleet of vehicles is in place, as well as including this as part of any new fleet assets developed.