Environmental communications system covers entire archipelago and facilitates surveillance, enhancing population's safety against natural hazards
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stated in Ponta Delgada that the Integrated Communication System of Environmental Services (SICAM) already covers all islands of the archipelago. It is another tool available to those who, on a daily basis, take care of the natural and landscape heritage and guarantee the safety of populations against natural and environmental risks, facilitating their daily tasks.
"SICAM is based on a digital communication network to support surveillance and responses in emergency and disaster situations. It aims to ensure effective and reliable mobile voice and data communications within the operation structures of the Regional Directorate for the Environment on all islands of the Azores," stressed Marta Guerreiro at the presentation of this tool.
"This system provides users with the possibility of geolocation, emergency requests, data transmission, and interconnection of telephone and radio with other entities within the integrated regional civil protection system, namely the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service of the Azores (SRPCBA)," added the Secretary.
According to Marta Guerreiro, "the possibility of interconnection and the full compatibility of integration with the RITERAA network operated by SRPCBA is of great importance in monitoring and managing emergency situations of greater complexity and size. This is particularly relevant in emergencies or catastrophes associated with hydrological phenomena and those with hazardous substances."
"With this system, it becomes possible to enhance the operational capacity of the services of the Regional Directorate for the Environment, namely the Nature Watchers body and operational water resources teams," the Regional Secretary said, mentioning the delivery of radios for this purpose.
"If we want to guarantee the quality of our environmental heritage, all these investments in the Environmental Services, especially in the Nature Watchers body, are fundamental," said the government official.
According to the government official, "these measures endow the Regional Government with mechanisms to always safeguard the safety of all Azoreans and their property. We strongly believe that investing in prevention is the best way as it, on the one hand, safeguards the present and, on the other hand, builds an ever safe future for each Azorean, wherever they live.
SICAM is a radio network that uses VHF portable terminals. It is supported by a network of DMR digital technology base stations (repeaters) and VHF antennas, covering the entire archipelago. The management, operation and telemaintenance is carried out through the Command and Control System installed at the headquarters of Humanitarian Associations of Volunteer Firefighters of Madalena, Pico Island.
The portable terminals (radios) are distributed among the Regional Director for the Environment, the Heads of the Environmental Services throughout the archipelago, the Head of the Water Resources Services and the operational water resources teams on the island of São Miguel.