RAYNET liaison with Central Government

In order to improve the Government's understanding of the role of RAYNET, representatives from the Emergency Planning Team of The Radio Amateurs' Emergency Network recently met with the Central Sponsor for Information Assurance (CSIA) which is a unit of the Cabinet Office and which works with partners in the public and private sectors, as well as its international counterparts, to help safeguard the nation's IT and telecommunications services.

RAYNET Chair, Cathy Clark, G1GQJ and her team gave a presentation on the capabilities and current resources of RAYNET and in turn learned about the Government Contingency operations requirements. It was agreed that the main areas where RAYNET could assist would be between the County to District level and Emergency Services Strategic (GOLD) and with the National Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Utilities and also at the incident level between (Bronze) (operational) and the Local Authorities and sectors of the CNI.

This initial meeting was considered by both parties to be a worthwhile exchange of ideas, and future meetings will include the use of RAYNET as part of the communications contingency in support of Continuity of Government, how CSIA can help RAYNET discuss projects with agencies it would be working with in times of emergency, how mutual training can be undertaken, licensing matters and the use of chosen frequencies.

8th March 2004