Country Fire Authority, VIC, Australia

More than 9,000 Tait P25 digital portable and mobile radios have been rolled out to over 1,220 CFA brigades across Victoria as part of the Radio Replacement Project managed by CFA, Tait Communications and local partner AA Radio Services.

For the first time, many CFA rural brigades throughout Victoria now have access to portable radios, providing responders on the fire-ground with reliable communication and the ability to keep in constant contact with incident controllers.

As well as the new Tait P25 portables, Mr Booth says the eventual move to a fully digital P25 network will also bring significant benefits for CFA responders: "The digital platform will allow us to overlay applications such as push-button status messaging and a duress feature — critical tools that will help to ensure the safety of CFA responders."

CFA will also deploy 1,300 transportable bag radios, based on the Tait TM9155 mobile, to key CFA operational members who need the flexibility of a deployable mobile radio in their personal vehicles.

In summing up the CFA–Tait relationship and the Radio Replacement Project, Mr Booth adds the following: "The Tait roll-out has been an extraordinary success...Tait has met all of our requirements on-time and on-budget."