Terror alert system too late for Olympics

Sunday 21 June 2009

A £1.4bn critical response system to ensure emergency services can deal with a major incident is now running so far behind schedule that it is unlikely to be ready for the London 2012 Olympics, according to leaked documents.

The FiReControl system is described as critical for protecting public safety and increasing the nation’s resilience and the government claims that once it is up and running it will meet industrial accidents, terrorist threat and weather-related incidents –a reference to the dramatic floods of the recent years. The system will link all fire and rescue control centers via nine regional hubs and will cost £380m to set up. It automatically channels emergency calls to available operators. Satellite positioning equipment monitors the whereabouts of each of each emergency vehicle so control centers can establish whether it is the best recourse for an incident. The system was supposed to be completed at the end of 2007, but a series of delays has pushed it back years. The fire service wanted the system in place at least 12 months before the games started to allow it to sort out any teething problems. But leaked documents show that the project will not actually be completed until after the London games.

Delaying the system’s introduction until after the games raised the questions about whether the capital could cope with a major incident during the event. The only option now is to improve the existing system rather than introduce a new one. “The project is years late, over-budget, and government remains unable to convince the fire service they can make it work properly,” said the Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary, Andy Dark. “To continue with these plans in this state is entirely irresponsible.”

I think that it is a shame that they cannot get the system to work before the Olympics. That way they would be able to know whenever and wherever there is an accident of some sort. But if they can improve the existing system it will probably be ok too.