The Scottish Government has developed a Resilient Telecoms Strategy for Scotland, to enable the organisations involved in responding to emergencies - such as police, local authorities, fire and rescue services and the Scottish Ambulance Service - to communicate securely and effectively during an emergency.
The strategy is based on having multiple communications channels available to responders. Strategic locations in Scotland will be linked to ensure that critical communications can be maintained in an emergency. Allied to this are vehicle-based satellite support systems, which will provide communications for strategic coordinating groups that have to convene away from their fixed locations. These elements of the strategy are currently being tendered for.
Other elements of the strategy being taken forward are:
- A portable satellite system providing phone links and broadband internet access, which is held by local authorities and available to all responder organisations,
- Airwave radio units, which have also been made available for local authorities, NHS boards, SEPA and the Scottish Government.
Extranet
The UK Government is currently developing a National Resilience Extranet, which will enable the organisations involved in planning for and responding to emergencies to exchange information securely and work together more effectively, both in advance of and during emergencies. The Scottish Government is working with Cabinet Office to develop the extranet, which is due to be launched in autumn 2009.