AUSTRALIA: Sydney's SMS terror alert system

Text messages and e-mail will alert hundreds in the event of a terrorist attack

The Straits Times
Satuday, August 6, 2005

By Roger Maynard

Text messages on mobile phones and e-mail will alert hundreds of building managers and fire wardens to start evacuating office workers and shoppers in Sydney's central business district in the event of a terrorist attack.
 
In unveiling the new evacuation plans yesterday, the authorities said people would be told to gather at three open-air sites where they would be directed to the best transport route home.

Emergency marshalls would help direct the evacuation.

New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma announced the plans on the same day that Prime Minister John Howard invited state and territory leaders to a special meeting next month to discuss Australia's anti-terrorism response.

Mr Howard said the meeting would focus on transport security, anti-terrorism legislation, 'identity security' and ways to deal with those who advocate or incite terrorism.

The Prime Minister told a news conference he wanted the meeting to include British experts and Australian police officers who travelled to London in the aftermath of the July 7 suicide bombings on that city's transport network.

Fifty-six people were killed in the London attacks.

Mr Howard said: 'We do need, in the wake of what has occurred in London, to assess whether there are some messages from that that can be incorporated into Australia arrangements.'

Top of the agenda facing government leaders such as NSW's Premier Iemma would be evacuation and how to handle thousands of people caught up in the most dangerous areas.

The police will use a secure SMS and e-mail system to issue an alert, and this emergency information network will not be part of the public communication system. This will prevent any overload of mobile phone traffic.

Sirens and public address systems will also likely be used in the event of an evacuation.

State premiers welcomed Mr Howard's proposal for a meeting, saying they had presented the idea in a joint letter to the Prime Minister following the London bombings.

Mr Iemma, who took over from Mr Bob Carr this week, yesterday indicated that he saw the need for a workable strategy to deal with a terrorist attack as the biggest challenge facing his government.

He said: 'The attacks in New York, Madrid and London have shaped the way the New South Wales government's Counter Terrorism and Disaster Recovery Unit developed the plan.

'Experience shows getting timely, accurate information to the community is crucial during a terrorist attack or emergency,' he said.

He added: 'Half a million people work, live and visit Sydney's CBD every day - their safety and security is paramount.'

Among other proposals being considered by New South Wales is a plan to give the police more powers including additional legislation which will give officers the right to stop and randomly search members of the public for weapons or explosives.

The final shape of Sydney's new anti-terrorism strategy is expected to evolve over the next few weeks.

The new Premier is expected to hold discussions with NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney.

Hopefully it will never have to be enforced, but no city, especially those seen as prime terrorist targets, can afford to ignore the possibility.

Date Posted: 8/6/2005