The Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures signed today the contract for the purchase and installation of an Integrated Communications Platform, under the Contingency Plan for Communications in the Region.

The Contingency Plan allows identifying, at each moment, among a series of public and private networks, which ones are working in situations of emergency, serious accident or catastrophe, thus creating a platform to ensure that the Azores will have operable communications in the event of these situations. According to the government official, the signing of this contract represents an innovative step at the level of safety and communications in the Azores.

José Contente announced that a pilot project is being implemented through a strategic partnership with Portugal Telecom, EDA and the municipalities of Praia da Vitória and Povoação in order to test the Integrated Communications Platform. The system will be extended to the remaining public and private entities to be covered by the Contingency Plan for Communications.

The geodynamic nature of the Azores, namely the increased risks of natural hazards caused by earthquakes and bad weather, can trigger the activation of these plans. For that reason, "the Government of the Azores awards priority status to communications as we live in a scattered territory that can never be isolated," stressed the government official.

"This is a groundbreaking project of great importance that will reinforce emergency communications in the Azores. In the event of disaster situations, civil protection and rescue entities need to take stock of the situation and activate all sorts of means; therefore communications must be operable." The statements were made by the Regional Secretary after signing the contract with Globalstar System, a company that has developed several communications systems according to the specific needs of different areas, including Civil Protection.
 
José Contente emphasised that the Azorean Government has great confidence in this platform, which represents another step taken at the level of safety.

"This is an example of a groundbreaking project, which puts us at the forefront and I am very pleased to have participated together with the company's owner, David Tavares, in this initiative because it also represents the Azorean soul in the defence of regional interests: to be at the forefront of development and this is fundamental for being a competitive region," said the Regional Secretary.