Case Histories › Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
Autopage summons fire officers across all networks
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is the second largest fire service in the country, covering an area of approx. 496 square miles and serving a population of two and a half million people in ten metropolitan districts.
It has used an Autopage mobile messaging system for eight years and in a number of ways to relay messages to its officers. Communications manager Ian Parry says: "Its versatility and ability to use all networks works well for us."
The fire brigade has switch radio repeaters on at specific sites, such as Manchester Airport and the Trafford Centre, to boost radio reception in these areas. This is done via Vodapage with the message being sent from the turnout system.
"This allows our control operators to send pre-determined general messages from our turnout system using a set call sign which is formatted within Autopage and sent to those using the Vodapage network," Ian Parry says. "Or text messages can be sent from control operators, also from the turnout system, to individual officers' mobile phones using the Orange network."
The messages range from information about specific incidents to instructions to attend and are used with officers whose chosen method of contact is their mobile phone.
"We also have a networked PC within our control room which uses Autopage to send group messages, such as weather reports, to officers with mobiles. These are either 'global' messages which go to all the officers or they can be more specific and sent to particular groupings which we have pre-set.
"Finally, we also have a stand-alone computer which runs Autopage. It is set up in our standby centre to which operations would be evacuated if an emergency affected main control. This would enable us to continue sending information and orders to officers should the main control room be put out of action by a major incident."
Ian Parry feels the Autopage system is very good at meeting the requirements of the fire service in keeping in close contact with its officers. "As the saying goes 'It does what it says on the tin'!" he says.
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