Warning call answered

By Tania Martin
American-based world leader in emergency warnings, Federal Signal has donated a system to the group.
But DRCBG still has to come up with $10,000 to $15,000 for its installation.
Federal Signal Asia-pacific sales director Sean McKane said the corporation first heard about the DRCBG following a story in the local media.
The Mail reported in May that a proposed Federal Government EWS based on landline and mobile phone notifications would not reach enough people in the Dandenongs.
DRCBG co-founder Melanie Gajdek believes Federal Signals system’s ability to live voice stream in high risk and ‘gap’ areas would benefit areas such as Sassafras.
Ms Gajdek said the current audible sirens were not heard from the main street and posed an increasing risk to tourists, businesses and residents.
“The Federal Government text and landline messages EWS is based on home addresses and will not reach tourists visiting the Dandenongs,” Ms Gajdek said.
“The population of many townships in the Dandenongs can treble on any given weekend with tourists.”
Mr McKane said Federal Signal would be able to address issues with tourists.
He said it was as simple as providing a registration system where visitors can sign their phone number to be notified when danger is looming.
“A Japanese tourist can register their number on the internet and know they will be called or texted if there is a danger in the area,” Mr McKane said.
Federal Signal claims its system could handle up to 10,000 messages within seconds.
Ms Gajdek said the problem now was gaining approval for the system and coming up with the cash to install it.
Shire of Yarra Ranges councillor Noel Cliff questioned why Federal Signal had donated their system but was not willing to pay for the installation.
“If you want to get established in Australia, why wouldn’t you go the whole hog?”
But Mr McKane said without the green light to even install the system, putting up the cost for the whole project would be a lot more investment up front for the company with no guarantees of further business.
Cr Cliff said the idea would be much easier to sell to the community and his fellow councillors if it came as a package deal.
He said the siren would help improve safety for residents but has questioned whether the project would even get off the ground.
“I don’t see any hassles with it as long as it’s tied in with the CFA, it can’t be a separate group running it,” Cr Cliff said.
“That would create a whole new lot of problems.”