LAAUG to MAAUG

The successful Local Authority User Group (LAAUG) has rechristened itself the MAAUG - Multi Agency Airwave User Group.

The Local Authority User Group has been running since 2006, bringing together the Airwave user community within Local Authorities.  There are representatives from Local Authority Emergency Planning Departments, CCTV operators and other departments such as Wardens, who all use the Airwave Service for their communications.  The Group has enabled Local Authorities to act with a "single voice" at national level, ensuring that their needs and issues are raised effectively at the EPSIIB (Emergency and Public Safety Interoperability Implementation Board).  The Group has also produced an Airwave Training Package aimed specifically at Local Authorities and provides useful customer feedback for product development within Airwave itself.  Other organisations who do not have a national body to represent their interests have experessed an interest in joining the Group and it has been agreed that this widening of the membership will be beneficial in facilitating multi-agency interoperability and joint working.

John Hetherington, chairperson of the MAAUG, has said that "This is an exciting development for the LAAUG.  The MAAUG welcomes new members from other responding organisations and we look forward to forging strong relationships with them and working on specific tasks that will strengthen local resilience".

Any organisation interested in joining the MAAUG should register by completing the form to be found at www.airwavesolutions.co.uk/FireCivilResilience/MAAUG