Gloucestershire County RAYNET assist in floods

Gloucester County RAYNET was called upon for assistance last week during the floods. The service was activated by the County Council Emergency Planning Officer to assist in the evacuation of the county emergency centre on 25 July.

All the RAYNET contingency equipment was stripped out of the radio room underneath Shire Hall in the city centre, and a temporary station relocated at the Tri-Service Control centre at Quedgeley, to the south of Gloucester.

The prime use of the station was to establish links to the district rest centres established around the county and to provide backup links to out-of-county sites where telephone systems would still be operational, should the Walham substation have failed.

Liaison was kept with other RAYNET Groups at Bath, Gwent and Bristol through Zone 7 Controller Chris, G8RXA. This ensured they were kept abreast of the situation and could be called in to assist if necessary. Thanks to the efforts of members working long hours on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, voice and data communications links were set up to the Triservice Control Centre from Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Cirencester and Stroud.

On Thursday, a callout was issued by the County Emergency Planning Officer for radio links to be set up between the Triservice Control and the five main bottled water distribution points for vulnerable people. RAYNET members responded to the request by message distribution and assisting the volunteer teams at the locations.

Source: GB2RS News - Courtesy of the RSGB