Victoria to get emergency calls

MAY 09, 2005

A NEW early-warning system for emergencies using automated phone calls
will be trialled in Victoria from July.

The new technology allows police and emergency services to telephone
every household in a designated area simultaneously, alerting them to
impending danger.

Telstra and the ABC have joined the Victorian government trial which
will be run in the Yarra Ranges north of Melbourne and the northern
Grampians for three months.

The system is intended for emergencies such as floods, fires, or even
terrorist attacks.

For years there have been problems in many areas of Australia because
radio and television stations are often networked and even automated,
and at times have no local input. 

Premier Steve Bracks said the technology could track the response from
each phone contacted, noting whether the call was answered, engaged or
received by an answering machine.

"The system then immediately sends back a report to the control room,
allowing operators to determine whether and to whom further warnings
need to be issued to," he said. 

(snip)

Full article at "Australian IT" ...
australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,15227080%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html


Cheers, Steve..

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