ASTRID to provide Statement on the Functioning of the Emergency Network during Brussels Bombings
ASTRID Director General Marc de Buyser: "The ASTRID network has not failed; both the radio, paging and control room systems have always maintained".
On 29 March we published an article about the challenges of the Belgium ASTRID TETRA network in the Brussels area during the Brussels bombings and the fact that the Belgium Federal Police experienced communication problems when using the network at the time of the bombings.
Last week, in a statement on the website of www.astriddirect.be, Marc de Buyser, Director General of ASTRID and his colleagues expresses their deepest sympathy to the victims and their families as wel as their respect for the tremendous efforts of the emergency and security services, regarding the series of horrific attacks in Belgium on 22 March 2016.
De Buyser states, that because of the exceptional nature of this disaster, as due to a number of heavy attacks at different locations, the ASTRID network - at certain locations and for several hours - received an unprecedented amount of communications. From across the country emergency and security services were requested to support assistance.
At request of the ASTRID organization during that day, hundreds of extra radios were activated and and mobile mast was put on the spot. The unprecedented scale of this tragedy undoubtedly has had a severe impact on the commercial GSM networks, which has led into a significant increase in radio traffic on the ASTRID network.
De Buyser continues that the ASTRID network has not failed; both the radio, paging and control room systems have always maintained. However, this massive deployment of emergency services and the hundreds of extra talk groups, have caused interrupted communications in the city of Brussels.
Shortly after the attacks, the ASTRID radio masts, near Maelbeek Metro Station area, reached their maximum capacity, which resulted in difficult communications. Some users have experienced delays or had no access to user groups. Such difficult and stressfull moments inevitably increases the number of “push-to-talks".
Together with the users, the use the radio communications flows - technical as well as operational - will be examined. Meanwhile, ASTRID also has consulted with the ASTRID User Advisory Committee, which resulted in are certain concrete actions and recommendations.
De Buyser closes his statement with a request to all stakeholders, to come around the table and to discuss how ASTRID can be prepared more effectively in similar new emergency situations.
