SmartConnect extends comms reach for VRA Rescue NSW

Volunteer rescue organisation VRA Rescue NSW is using SmartConnect, from Motorola Solutions, to extend the reach and capacity of its mission-critical radio communications. SmartConnect is a subscription-based application service that maintains reliable communications connectivity by automatically switching channels between land mobile radio (LMR), broadband, Wi-Fi and satellite networks.

“On any given day, VRA Rescue NSW’s 50 specialised squads and search dog teams perform rescue missions in challenging environments and unforeseen circumstances,” said VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner Brenton Charlton. “Whether conducting cave rescues, ski patrols or responding to road crashes, our teams need uninterrupted communication to stay connected with each other and different public safety agencies, especially when working in the most remote and rugged areas of the state.”

SmartConnect will enable VRA to gain secure access to NSW’s Public Safety Network, which is used by more than 50,000 first responders and emergency personnel across the state. It will access the communications service via more than 300 of Motorola Solutions’ APX 8000 series P25 radios and APX NEXT P25 all-band smart radios. SmartConnect will also be deployed to a fleet of 100 NSW VRA service vehicles, helping to create a mobile communications hub to support rescue missions in rural and remote areas.

“Our P25 radio technology is designed to help public safety personnel to communicate with clarity … on the frontlines of bushfires and in a variety of other extreme conditions,” said Con Balaskas, Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, Motorola Solutions. “With APX NEXT broadband-enabled radios and SmartConnect, responders can take resilient voice communication even further by automatically switching from LMR to broadband networks when users travel outside of radio coverage areas.”

Other agencies using SmartConnect include Fire and Rescue NSW and the NSW State Emergency Service.