Emergency Plan - Fylde Borough Council

Emergency Plan February 2007
9.2.1 Emergency telecommunications - Phone companies can provide radio pagers, mobile
phones, payphone trailers and a range of other equipment such as fax machines, telex
machines and small switchboards.
9.2.2 Government Telephone Preference Scheme (GTPS) – Landline telephone lines
provided by BT and Cable and Wireless can be registered as essential numbers. If telephone
exchanges become overloaded and cannot be managed through routine procedures, the
scheme can be implemented within a given area. People will still be able to receive calls but
will not be able to make calls unless their number has already been registered. Although
Fylde Borough Council currently has no numbers registered on this scheme, the current
preferential telephone system is shortly to be replaced by the EGTPS at which time
appropriate Fylde telephone numbers will be registered to the scheme.
9.2.3 Access Overload Control (ACCOLC) – Mobile telephone numbers of emergency
responders, who will be working at or near the scene of an incident can be submitted to the
Cabinet Office for approval. The assumption is that landline phones will still be working
normally. Major mobile phone companies can reserve available network cells for use by
ACCOLC registered phones. However, the cells will only start to free up as other calls are
finished. Once ACCOLC has been invoked, calls should be kept as short as possible.
9.3 Radio Amateurs Network (RAYNET)
RAYNET are an amateur radio network licensed by the Home Office to provide radio
communications during an emergency. They can provide both manpower and equipment,
much of which is mobile. As well as providing voice radio facilities, RAYNET provide a radiobased
data transmission (Packet) service. It is anticipated that their primary use will be to
augment the Council’s own resources by providing communications particularly in the rural
areas.
Members of RAYNET can be identified by the personal identity cards issued to each member.
In addition RAYNET members generally display some form of notice on their vehicle
windscreens.
RAYNET will be contacted and activated through the LCC Emergency Planning Duty Officer .
Section 9
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Uncontrolled if Printed
Rev.0