Tyne and Wear on top of communications
Fire and rescue magazine reviews Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Services’ new data communications network as one of the most robust and resilient in the world.
Serving an area of 208 square miles, including Tyneside, Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s (TWFRS) primary role is the protection of the 1.1 million citizens under its aegis. In response to the need for greater strategic fire and rescue cover throughout the region, TWFRS in 2001 instigated a scheme of renewal. A key service requirement identified by TWFRS at this time was a new network infrastructure to be delivered by EADS DS. Successfully completed in May of this year, the project has placed TWFRS ahead of the curve in terms of voice and data connectivity.
EADS DS was ultimately required to network a total of 22 separate buildings. Though some, such as the service headquarters and six Community Fire Stations, would be completely new constructions, most would require amalgamation of functions during the replacement or closure of operating stations. As part of the integration EADS DS was required to interface with the live mobilisation system and the existing 999 control room. This would be far from straightforward, and the old Pilgrim Street brigade headquarters site was typical of the service communications network at the time, running the
entire system across 64k lines. Pilgrim Street highlighted the problems the
service had faced, where 100 staff found them selves connected across a network that was unwieldy and slow. Not only was this dated system required to host the entire fire service’s communications, but was also tasked with running the mobilisation of the fire station located on the ground floor of the building as well.
As John Spruce, Head of ICT, TWFRS, comments;
“It was creaking, but we kept it working, but at a level not much better than dial up”. The brigade required new systems to better serve the organisation, internal policy was placing emphasis on better community interaction, both within the service and through outreach to the public. The existing infrastructure however simply could not have supported the level of capabilities that were being demanded. TWFRS wanted better IP communications services, new email services, better file services and new applications for time management and training – the network implemented
by EADS DS was therefore critical for TWFRS to achieve its new IT strategy and in turn achieve new levels of outreach as a public safety body.
Robust and resilient
Phase 1 of the ICT project commenced in June 2004 with the introduction of a backbone to new and retained sites. As well as networking the new buildings that were scheduled for completion by year end, EADS DS was also expected to provision a temporary network. This would encompass sites
undergoing reconstruction, which in one case included a fire station being temporarily re-sited at a local TA barracks, thereby delivering a robust,
resilient network offering guaranteed voice and data traffic 24/7/365. This was of particular importance with regards to the original core sites that remained on the old network. Though scheduled to be replaced, the original
headquarters and technical services building had to remain active during the hand over process, this was an unavoidable cause for concern, and the temporary network would turn out to be critical in supporting the continued services from these sites.
The greatest ICT threat an emergency service can face is to lose communications in their entirety, lives are then at real risk. This was exemplified during the latter phase of site construction when a JCB cut through several IP links on the Training Centre site, severing communications to the core buildings on the network. This was a very serious incident that immediately dropped telephone communications and mobilisation capability to four separate fire stations.
Constantly monitoring the network status EADS DS, working with British Telecom, initiated an immediate response, securing a fibre team on site within 40 minutes of the instantly detected outage. The network was up and working again within two hours. This new robust network augments TWFRS’ internal data and telephony systems for the next five to seven years, enabling local data flow both within the service, and out to Regional Control Centres on the proposed secure government network.
EADS DS’ new network communications rooms at Tyne and Wear’s headquarters will therefore coexist with the new national infrastructure to provide internal communications, additional voice and data services and meet the ever increasing need for more PCs throughout the service. With 512K to 2Mb links now in place, email and internet access is now available throughout all stations and will imminently carry a brigade wide intranet with all the community advantages that such a service provides.
Steve Whitby, Business Director, Global Security, EADS DS, “Integrity of data in a system is absolutely key: from static reference data, such as hydrant locations, to dynamic data, that ranges from who is on a watch to the status of appliances available to be fielded at a moments’ notice. “Connected services such as that championed by TWFRS therefore introduce a whole new way to run an organisation - this is the only way to efficiently respond the growing demands of a New Dimension of Risk. We see the introduction of intraservice voice and data solutions, made available to every user, truly mobilising local authorities. Tyne and Wear is now a shining example for other emergency services, as well as fire brigades about to how this can be achieved.”