Simoco Ireland has won a £4 million systems integration contract awarded by Mayo County Council for the improvement of its regional emergency services communications network.

This will be the first fully-integrated fire and ambulance, voice and data communications system in the State and will support emergency services catering for more than half a million people. Six fire authorities and the three counties of the Western Health Board will be serviced by a new purpose-built regional communications centre in Castlebar. "This is the first time that we will have had the benefit of a shared radio communications infrastructure and computer-aided despatch system which will help us to minimise response times and improve the quality of service delivered in a wide geographical area," said Mr Seamus Murphy, project controller and chief fire officer of the Mayo County Council Fire Brigade.

The project is due to be completed toward the end of 1999.