TETRA radio communications network for Police, Fire & Ambulance services in Salzburg, Austria

After years of discussions and announcements, police, fire and ambulance services in Salzburg are now getting a new common digital radio system. Until the end of 2017 all of the task forces should be equipped with the new TETRA Communications system.

When disasters and large-scale operations will will occur, in future all organizations will use the common digital radio system. The total cost of the system will is 21 million Euro.

Despite the tight budget situation, Salzburg had decided to take this step, says Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP ). Because in the past there had been technical problems with international forces during large-scale exercises: " When international forces wanted to practice here, we had to borrow digital devices. We would have otherwise no possibility to communicate.

Digital radios for emergency responders such as; firefighters, police, Red Cross KreuzAPA /Harald Schneider, Ambulance and fire brigade  should be able to communicate directly with each other via a digital radio.

The previous state government had to stop the switch to digital radio communications. At that time costs were too high and at a later stage inconsistencies (TETRON) in the allocation of digital radio system occured.

Over the past few months in Salzburg, negotiations were intensified in order to introduce the new radio system. On Thursday, the contracts with Interior Minister Johanna Mikl- Leitner (ÖVP) were signed: " This investment of 21 million Euro is important because we really can save lives with the digital radio communications."

It is expected thatthe new radio system will be fully developed at the end of 2017.