NO BIDS FOR 999 UPGRADE
FIREFIGHTERS have warned lives could be at risk after tendering for a new 999 mobilisation system failed to attract any bidders.
Union officials say antiquated existing IT software which was supposed to have been replaced six years ago is no longer fit for purpose and could fail at any time leaving emergency response teams in crisis.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) signed a £10million deal with French company Systel six years ago but it failed to materialise.
The Sunday Mail can reveal Assistant Chief Of ficer David Lockhart informed colleagues last week that a new tendering process launched in recent months has not received any responses.
Labour MSP Katy Clark said: “The situation in fire control rooms has been precarious for a long time. Understaffing is putting enough pressures on staff but having to operate with an IT system that is not fit for purpose compounds these problems.
“The unwillingness of contractors to bid for this project is a very serious concern. We now need to know what contingency plan the SFRS and Scottish Government have to keepp this essential servicece up and running.”
A Fire Brigadeses Union spokeswomanan said: “We got the wordord through last week thathat there have been no bidders for the 999 mobilisation contractract which is really bad news.ews.
“When you combinebine this with staff shortagestages and other pressures on the service it could leavee lives at risk if something was to go wrong.
“The techniciansns are openly saying that theyhey are worried that if thehe old system goes down then it may not come back up online again and that wouldd spell disaster if combinedned with a major incident.nt
“As things stand our control rooms are working with three antiquated systems which are no longer fit for purpose and do not speak to each other properly.
“They are the systems which communicate the