$60m for emergency radio network

The state government has foreshadowed a big investment in a single radio network for emergency services agencies while also awarding local firm Omnitronics an upgrade contract.

The government plans to invest more than $60 million for part one of a multi-stage project to build a dedicated emergency services communications network.

Currently, agencies like Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and Justice use different radio networks, which means there is no capacity to communicate over the same channels.

The project is expected to replace more than 11,000 radio devices.

Tenders are set to be released early next year.

It is anticipated that once the project in its entirety is complete, it will create a new network that could be used by WA Police Force, DFES, and the Department of Justice and other frontline agencies.

Separately, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services has awarded a contract to Omnitronics to supply its omnicore Soft Radio Dispatch System.

The contract is worth $567,916, according to the government tenders web site.

Osborne Park-based Omnitronics will supply radio dispatch consoles for the primary communication centre in Cockburn and back-up control room in Belmont.

The omnicore dispatch system is designed for interoperability and can interface both to existing radio infrastructure as well as new radio infrastructure.

Omnitronics senior communications consultant Micheal Parker said omnicore was the perfect fit for DFES, which has been working with an Omnitronics system for more than 20 years.

“With omnicore, I am confident that they again have a radio dispatch system that meets their high standards in regard to reliability, scalability, and interoperability,” he added.

DFES encompasses more than 1,600 operational and corporate staff and a network of 27,000 volunteers.

It is the second WA government department to select omnicore as its radio dispatch system in the past two months.

The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) recently selected the omnicore system for critical and other communications across its statewide radio network.