| SIRDEE enabled the emergency forces to work under very difficult circumstances |
Cassidian’s SIRDEE (Sistema de Radiocomunicaciones Digitales de Emergencia del Estado) network delivered first class service to the emergency professionals during the terrible fire on Ibiza in May 2011, the largest forest fire ever in that part of the Balearic Islands.
For a whole week, over 2,000 hectares of pine forest on the island burned uncontrolledly. More than 300 people were evacuated. Some holiday resorts were relatively close to the threat and several hotels moved their customers to keep them away from possible danger. 400 people fought the fire, with up to 14 aircraft working constantly during daylight hours.
SIRDEE enabled the emergency forces to work under very difficult circumstances. Calls during peak time increased from the usual 3 to 136, and the number of active groups of three rose to six. The base station in the area recorded a 20% to 144% increase in traffic, with a minimum of rejected calls.
Deployed since 2000, the SIRDEE network is the national mobile voice and data communications network based on an infrastructure of TETRAPOL digital security radio communications technology supplied by Cassidian. Apart from the MoI organisations – Guardia Civil and National Police – several other users have joined SIRDEE. These include the Traffic Police, the Royal House, the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, the Emergency Military Unit (UME), the Spanish Navy, the Galicia Region the Autonomous Police, the Torrelavega Local Police and Fire Brigade and the Cantabria Region Civil Protection Service, as well as the Balearic Islands and Logroño.