The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Command and Control Mobilising System (CCMS)

Technology Changes and Key Dates

53. There are some pending key dates, which impact on the priority to modernise the current CCMS at all three OCs.

The implications of the ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) switch off means that all three current CCMS will not be compatible with replacement technology from December 2025. Furthermore, the Home Office is delivering a new Emergency Services Network (ESN) which will replace the current Airwave radio system used by Emergency Services, the deadline for which for SFRS is also anticipated to be towards the end of 2025.

54. If the Systel Contract had been successfully implemented on time, technology changes would have been accommodated in a new system. The impact of a delay to implementing a replacement CCMS results in an increased risk of having equipment in place which is not compatible with the ISDN switch off and ESN implementation.

Consideration of electricity outages

55. SFRS has included in its overall resilience planning the consideration of power outages. Each Standby Control has back-up generators in place which are tested regularly. In the event of a mains electricity outage, in order to limit the impact of a change over from mains electricity to fuel powered generator supply, there has been investment in the UPS (uninterrupted power supply) backup systems at OCs. This has been carried out with the aim of reducing the risk of a potential ‘cold start’ of a server. A ‘cold start’ is an unplanned shut-down of a server, which would then require to be restarted from cold. There are concerns due to the fragility of systems that a cold start of a server could result in a significant system failure which may be difficult to recover from.

Staffing Levels

56. The OCs each have different workload demands and therefore different staffing arrangements. Staffing levels at all three OCs have been impacted as a result of staff turnover and absence. There has been a reliance on overtime on a regular basis to be able to maintain minimum staffing levels in OCs.