CFA Victoria deploying Motorola smart radios for first responders

The Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA) has arranged to deploy 16,000 new two-way radios as part of a new contract with Motorola Solutions.

Under the agreement, the CFA will roll out 16,000 Motorola APX series P25 radios, including 9000 APX Next all-band smart radios, to help better support first responders.

The radio equipment is capable of switching from land mobile radio to broadband when users move outside of radio coverage range, and also support smart mapping to pinpoint firefighters’ and vehicles’ locations in the field, as well as voice control for first responders.

The devices will be used on the Victorian Government’s Regional Mobile Radio (RMR) and Metropolitan Mobile Radio (MMR) networks while in range.

As part of the contract, Motorola Solutions will upgrade and support CFA’s radio equipment as part of a 10-year services contract, which will involve replacing radios used in the field, on fire trucks, in command vehicles and within fire stations.

Motorola Solutions MD for Australia and New Zealand Colin Balaskas said the project will provide mission-critical voice communications and productivity-enhancing data applications to enhance safety and incident awareness for firefighters.

“APX radios enable the reliable communication that’s critical for fire and emergency agencies to collaborate, particularly in the face of more frequent and severe natural disasters and other complex events,” he said. “And our APX NEXT radios bring additional capabilities that maximise the use of data in the field, delivering rich insights to further strengthen workflow efficiency and safety.”

Image: Jaclyn Symes, Minister for Emergency Services, Victoria and CFA Victoria firefighters.