Emergency services face network delays

Plans for secure national radio systems for ambulance and fire services are in confusion following procurement delays and uncertainty over networks.

The government originally wanted a single system for all the emergency services.

The Tetra-based O2 Airwave has been favourite to provide that system after winning the deal for the police network in 2000.

But it is now competing with EADS - based on the rival Tetrapol platform - and NTL for the fire and ambulance service contracts respectively. Both decisions have been delayed.

The national Firelink deal was due in May but is now not expected until March 2005.

No explanation has been given, and some local emergency services are now making contingency plans as they await final national decisions.

'We have had on-going discussions with the Firelink team to revise plans and make sure we maintain our radio systems,' said local assistant chief fire officer Peter Dartford.

Some ambulance authorities are also making interim arrangements. Mersey Regional Ambulance Service signed a short-term 12-month deal for Airwave in June, six months after the national deal was due to be signed. There is still no clear date for its completion.

Firelink has been held up by the government's controversial plans to replace local control centres with fewer, regional centres, says the Fire Brigades Union.

'A number of brigades have been upgrading anyway which just adds to the costs,' said a spokesman.

EADS says a single network for all services is not enough to meet the increased threat following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the US.

But O2 Airwave says it makes no sense to build more infrastructure alongside its police network, and there can never be seamless interoperability.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister says the summer deadline was not a 'strict announcement' for Firelink.

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