MELBOURNE
VICTORIAN regional and rural residents lose ability to listen to emergency services radio from 2018.
Emergency services radio communications using a ‘scanner’ will no longer be possible with local police and fire converting to enycrpted to digital radio technology.
The ability to hear local Country Fire Authority (CFA) fire stations – or trucks – will be lost.
“This new technology will encrypt police radios, ensuring that no one outside the police force, including criminals, can listen to police communications,” Minister for Police Lisa Neville said.
“We’re replacing outdated and unsafe police and emergency services radios to ensure authorities have the best equipment to help fight crime…”
The introduction of digital radio technology sees rural residents lose access to monitoring emergency services radio which saved many lives on February 7, 2009.
Labor awarded $11.5million for CFA, Life Saving Vic., SES and Victoria Police to access the radio network.
Text & Images ©COPYRIGHT 2017 Kinglake Ranges News.