Calva Bridge - radio amateurs to provide emergency comms

Preparations are in hand to use Amateur Radio instead of telephones for calls to the emergency services should the Calva bridge in Cumbria collapse.

The North Pennines RAYNET Group website says:

"if/when the Calva Bridge collapses we will be called out to cover 999 calls and this will be 24 hours a day for up to a fortnight."

According to a Cumbria County Council news release if a collapse occurs telephone communications would be lost to around 3,000 homes north of the river and it says that a radio operator will be available at certain locations to pass on calls to the emergency services.

North Pennines RAYNET Group
http://www.northpenninesraynet.org.uk/

Cumbria County Council news release
Potential loss of communications in the event of a collapse of Calva Bridge
http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/news/2009/november/
25_11_2009-154555.asp

Latest Cumbria Flood News
http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/floods/floodsnews.asp

Flooding emergency in Cumbria
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2009/
raynet_group_on_standby.htm