Wiltshire RAYNET Services
RAYNET is an Emergency Communications service provided for the community voluntarily by Radio Amateurs. It is intended as a back-up facility in an emergency and is not designed to assume the mantle of responsibility from the statutory Emergency Services.
Radio Amateurs are permitted within their licence to operate in an emergency or properly constituted exercise for the following organisations (“User Services”):-
Police, Fire and Ambulance Services
St John Ambulance
British Red Cross Society
HM Coastguard
WRVS
Salvation Army
Emergency Planning Officers
Local Health Authority
Government Department
Public Utility
This has also been extended to cover
Category 1 and 2 organisations under the provisions of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004
What we do is to provide a communications service. Generally this is done by radio, although we have manned switchboards as well.
What we do not do is to provide marshalling, car parking duties or generally running your event. This might sound a little harsh but our insurance only covers us for certain activities. We can only work for the above "User Services". If you are planning an event and have not already contacted one of the above services then we can advise. Please not that we do need a reasonable amount of lead time. We cannot respond to "we need your help this weekend".
We have extensive radio communications facilities that include point to point radio, cross-band and in-band repeaters what allow us to cover wide areas.
We have 4 x 4 vehicles and generators that enable us to operate in remote or hostile areas.
We liaise with Groups outside out area if we need extra manpower.
Groups work with the emergency services and local authority emergency planning units on both live exercises and table-top simulations. It is, of course, important to have “hands on” experience regularly and throughout the year and to carry out training to nationally agreed standards.
RAYNET personnel provide additional safety communications for local fun runs, marathons, car rallies and a wide variety of events, whereby message passing, engineering skills and operational procedures can be tried and tested.
In times of major civil emergency, existing communications can become rapidly overloaded.
RAYNET can offer:
Additional flexible communication links to complement established systems
Members who come from a variety of backgrounds and can bring with them a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise
Established local contacts
A national 24hr emergency contact telephone number (0141 621 2121)