scanSydney

Hypha Announces Critical Communications Contract with Fire & Rescue New South Wales

https://www.criticalcommunicationsrevie ... outh-wales

Hypha is excited to announce that over 700 Fire Rescue New South Wales vehicles are soon to have Critical Communications anywhere.
The Hypha Group has been awarded the contract to supply Fire & Rescue Service New South Wales the satellite equipment and airtime to facilitate firefighters with critical communications over the next three to five years.
The contract is to supply Cobham SATCOM Explorer terminals, over the Inmarsat satellite network, forming part of FRNSW’s Connected Firefighter Program.
It allows crews to better communicate in the protection of communities when there is a significant need for reliable communications for emergency services during a major emergency.
The Connected Firefighter means access to best-in-class communications technology by upgrading ageing hardware and delivering new #technology that will keep FRNSW connected now and into the future.
Advancement of this cutting-edge technology is part of an investment by the NSW Government in response to the recommendations made after the deadly Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020.

Graeme Tait, Operational Communications Systems Officer at Fire & Rescue New South Wales said on Social Media:
This project will be transformational for our front line firefighters across NSW.
In a State the size of ours, satellite communications is an essential piece of the communications puzzle.
Once the rollout of this technology is completed, firefighters will have the benefit of voice communications, Automatic Vehcile Location and mobile data no matter where they are or what emergency they are dealing with.
I am very proud to have been involved in getting this project off the ground, and looking forward to working with the Hypha team in rolling this out across the Fire & Rescue NSW vehicles.

Neil Jamieson, Group CEO at Hypha, by Wireless Innovation said on Social Media:
I am very proud of our team and how far we have come on this journey.
To NSW government we applaud your commitment and investment to keeping the public and our firefighters safe when it matters.
Also a proud day to be an Australian.

I read this as FRNSW admitting that the GRN isn’t up to the task in emergency situations, especially as they say this is in response to the 19/20 bushfires, and that they have had to go to an external, third party satellite MESH provider to ensure continuous communications.

Individual emergency services should all be prepared, but isn’t the idea behind a statewide ‘mission critical’ network like the GRN that it is a network that can be replied upon during emergencies?

Surely investments into satellite backup, etc should be pooled together and applied to GRN sites to ensure they remain active for all emergency services, not just a network for one service so they remain online?

Not a ‘dig’ at FRNSW per se, I think the SES have done the same, and if so the same should apply.

Scotty wrote:I read this as FRNSW admitting that the GRN isn’t up to the task in emergency situations, especially as they say this is in response to the 19/20 bushfires, and that they have had to go to an external, third party satellite MESH provider to ensure continuous communications.

I would have to disagree with you here Scotty, this has nothing to do with any Current Radio Network and their limitations . . . but more the limitations on the current Gov Data Network we access our MDT's with and I think you will find this has been in the pipeline well before the 2019 bush fires came along . . . the Bushfire Inquiry probably just helped to push this idea, but it still won't help the lack of inter service coordination at incidents.

From what I was told by a Radio Teck back in January, this will see every Fire Appliance provided with Fire Ground WiFi to allow every crew to be live on the Fire Ground. This will allow a New Technology Platform to be Introduced to Every Primary Response Appliance Crew and Incident Controller, weather they be in Sydney or out the back of Burke.

It will allow enhanced Incident Control APP's and Tool to be used on our MDT's for Incident Management, access to live satellite Imaging, Live Firefighter Tracking, Live Firefighter Body Cam Streaming . . . so the OIC & FireCOMM's can see what the FF's are seeing, along with other applications that are currently only available through a selected few such as the Two Comm's Buses, Operational Commanders vehicles, Hazmat and other of Specialized Comm's Vehicles.

It will make every Active Fire Crew Live on the Fire Ground more or less, and Yes for those crews out the Back of Burke . . . or any crew who might find themselves working outside the GRN or PMR Radio Network Footprint . . . Yes it will provide Radio Linking via satellite back to FireCOMM's.

Interesting times ahead.

Re: Scotty's comments.
Don't the MDT rely on Telstra 4G for communication?

If so I can understand why they need a backup system in remote locations.
I understand the GRN can obviously be utilised for telematics but might not have the throughput for mapping & live video ?

Well a hand full of Sydney FRNSW Appliance have had this New Communications HUB equipment installed now.

The only real comm's difference you will see or hear . . . is the addition of a Sat Dome on the roof of the cabin.

Operating over Iridium Satellite service.

astro_boy wrote: Operating over Iridium Satellite service.

yep . . . the roll-out will be extended to include all SES Operational Vehicles too apparently