Icom Inc.

02/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/14/2024 22:45

Yunlin County Fire Department, Taiwan

Yunlin County Fire Department, Taiwan

Yunlin County Fire Department, Taiwan

All of Yunlin Countyʼs disaster relief vehicles are equipped with two sets of disaster relief radios.
It is the first county in Taiwan to do this. To protect peopleʼs lives, property, and the rescue workerʼs safety, Icom's radios are specialized for disaster relief and use in disaster activities.

Introduction

Susceptible to Terrain and Building Obstructions
Conventional analog radio systems are susceptible to terrain and building obstructions, resulting in poor reception and unfortunate outcomes in many disaster relief situations due to poor communication.

Enhancement of the Radio Communications
After the installation of the new digital radio system, the ability to respond to disaster relief has improved using enhanced communication technology. By digitizing the radio system, better communication quality and coverage is achieved, eliminating communication dead spots.

・All disaster relief vehicles and ambulances are equipped with two APCO P25 digital radios dedicated for disaster relief.

・The emergency signal (Man Down) ensures the safety of rescue workers at a disaster scene.

・Mobile repeaters are used to ensure communication quality at the disaster scene.

・New Central Command Center with a VPN connection.

Utilize Digital Communication Technology, Ensure the Safety of Rescue Workers

Two P25 Digital Radios for All Vehicles

Yunlin is the first county in Taiwan to have two sets of disaster relief radios on all disaster relief vehicles for communication backup. In addition, a third rescue radio has been installed in the disaster command vehicle for emergency communication among rescue workers.

Each rescue worker carries a handheld radio as personal equipment. Each field officer has two radios, and each rescue team carries a radio.

Ensures the Rescue Workers Safety

When a rescue worker encounters danger at the disaster scene that requires evacuation from the scene, the rescue workers can send an emergency signal (Man Down signal) from their handheld radio. This emergency distress signal will automatically switch to the emergency rescue channel and will also be forwarded to the disaster relief command vehicle with an alarm sound and indication.

It is capable of immediately identifying and locating the rescue worker in need of rescue and dispatching the rescue team through the emergency channel. The disaster command vehicle is equipped with microphones specially marked with color labels, such as "On Scene", "Command", "Emergency (Man Down)", to direct the dedicated rescue team.

Lightweight Mobile Repeaters

Rescue workers may work deep underground or in high-rise buildings at the disaster site. In such a situation radio signal could be poor. To cope with the situation, lightweight mobile repeaters with an independent power supply have been added for portability.
This mobile repeater can relay the communication signals from the rescue team to the command vehicle and ensures the communication quality of the rescue at the disaster site.

New Central Command Center
Inside fire stations, a dedicated digital radio command center is installed where radio channels can be switched, transmitted, and received with an intuitive touch screen operation.
In addition, the disaster relay radio repeaters in the fire stations are connected to a VPN network and transmit the clearest digital radio signals back to the fire departmentʼs command center over the network.The command center can also be operated by a touch screen to send digital radio signals directly to the repeater stations through the network to send to the front line of disaster relief.

Yunlin County Communication System Diagram

Voice of the Management

Sharpen Your Tools First

Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-Shan said at a press conference, "If you want to do a good job, you have to sharpen your tools. You must also take the disaster-prevention tools into consideration, while building a safe home. Get twice the result with half the effort." In recent years, the county magistrate has committed to fire prevention measures. The second set of firefighting uniforms, the replacement of new vehicles, and the purchase of various types of disaster relief equipment and ambulance spare parts were realized. The digitization of the radio system will ensure the safety of rescue workers and the protection of peopleʼs lives and properties.

Ensure Rescue Workers Safety First

Mr. Lam Man Shan, the Chief Fire Officer, said that the Fire Department has spared no effort in enhancing communication. First, all rescue vehicles are equipped with two special radios for on-site rescue. The main command vehicle is also equipped with a third "Emergency" radio, which utilizes technology to assist in disaster relief, ensure the safety of rescue workers, and enhance the efficiency of disaster relief.

Communication is the Most Important Aspect

Since Magistrate Chang Li-Shan took office, Mr. Lin Yuezhang, a member of the county council and deputy chief of the Volunteer Fire Department, pointed out that there have been significant improvements in disaster relief equipment and personnel training. Command, search, coordination, and medical care - the most important aspect of overall disaster relief work is communication. Inadequate communication at disaster relief sites can sometimes lead to unfortunate consequences.
We are grateful to Magistrate Chang, who budgeted more than NT$40 million to ensure safer evacuation of rescue workers during rescue operations, for providing all rescue workers with dedicated handheld radios and adding new relay stations to connect to the command system. In addition, we also look forward to the future of disaster relief work will continue to accelerate to technology disaster relief.

Organization

Yunlin County/Taiwan

Yunlin County is located in the south-central part of western Taiwan, at the northern tip of the Jianan Plain. The county is 90% plain and 10% mountains. It is 50 km from east to west in the widest place and 38 km from north to south in the longest place, with a total area of 1290 km2. The climate is subtropical, with an average annual temperature of 22.6 ℃ and an average annual rainfall of 1028.9 mm. The population is about 670 000 people. The prefectureʼs main industry is agriculture, and it prides itself on its rustic rural charm surrounded by nature and its high-quality agricultural products. The prefecture is rich in specialties that can only be found in areas surrounded by the sea and mountains.