Paul Cassford – Emergency Services Airwave User Group

(Airwave) Communication Tactical Advisors (CTAs)

Communications Tactical Advisors (previously known as ‘Airwave Tactical Advisors’) are responsible to their operational and tactical planning teams for providing advice and best practice guidance on all aspects relating to the operational use of Airwave including spontaneous and pre-planned events.

They maintain a high level of understanding of the provisions made for the operational use of mandated and mutual aid talk-groups, together with the Airwave service requirements regarding major incidents and event planning.

To ensure their effectiveness, the Communications Tactical Advisor should be invited to participate at the very earliest stages of major event planning and more importantly, be invited to assist where protracted spontaneous incidents are encountered

Communications Tactical Advisor’s act as a strategic, tactical or operational resource to be deployed at pre-planned or spontaneous events and incidents, and are responsible for the provision of advice, guidance and information on the effectiveness and limitations of available operational communication options in order to support commanders’ aims and objectives to facilitate effective communications.

A CTA will also provide commanders with timely, accurate and relevant advice when communications issues arise in order to promptly provide alternative and mitigating options, ensuring that fall-back or contingency arrangements are implemented at the site of an event or incident in order to sustain effective communications should communication difficulties arise.