AN emergency message that can override radio frequencies has been tried at Eldorado in an Australian first.
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On Friday night authorities tested the system on a dummy radio station set up for the trial, with the community and local emergency services the guinea pigs in the mock emergency.
The test covered a 10-kilometre radius around a prototype repeater that was then scaled back to a target area of just five kilometres.
The aim is to deliver messages to locals and visitors in remote areas and in communication black spots.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said yesterday it was the first time the technology, that is used in Melbourne’s Burnley Tunnel, had been used in the open.
But it was yet to be costed and would not be available this summer.
“The trial in a technology sense was a success, the feedback from the community excellent,” he said.
“We had people who were on the road, mobile, and others in the community listening to a radio.
“But it won’t be rolled out this summer — we have some work to do and it needs to be approved by the federal government.”
Emergency warnings are already broadcast on a range of channels including Victoria’s emergency broadcasters, the CFA and SES websites, fire and flood information lines and the telephone-based Emergency Alert.
Mr Lapsley said the Emergency Warning Systems Frequency Override trial was conducted at Eldorado in recognition of its lack of mobile phone coverage and potential bushfire risk.
“This is one of the solutions,” he said.
“We can’t rely on just one form of delivery in an emergency, we need to get systems that can overcome some of these difficult locations.
“But I don’t believe you will see us get blanket coverage across the state for an intrusive system like this.
“We will have to show how we would use this in a targeted way, and where we would use it.
“It may mean that we focus on critical locations — whether that is an area that doesn’t have mobile phone coverage or at greater risk of bushfire.”