AREC’s volunteer radio operators have a modern dispatch system behind them – and Vetta Group is covering the connectivity that keeps it running.
Frequent severe weather events across New Zealand have shown how much communities depend on volunteer responders – and on the radio networks they rely on. Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC), the volunteer-run charity that provides emergency communications for Search and Rescue and Civil Defence, has now modernised that network with a system called Crosswire. Vetta Group is sponsoring the internet connectivity that keeps it online for Auckland and the neighboring districts.
AREC is the public service arm of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) – a registered charity of around 450 volunteers across 43 groups nationwide.
Crosswire is a computer-based radio dispatch system that gives operators far more capability than a standard two-way radio. It acts as a central communications hub, allowing operators to talk to individual users or groups, monitor the location of GPS-equipped radios on a live map, send text messages, record radio traffic, and use remote radio stations far away from their operations centre.
By bringing voice communications, mapping, and messaging together in one easy-to-use interface, Crosswire improves situational awareness and helps AREC coordinate its people and equipment more effectively. It is widely used by emergency services, utilities, transport operators, and other organisations that rely on reliable radio communications to keep their people connected and safe.
For AREC’s volunteers, the practical gain is coordination. In a large, multi-team response – the scale of Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 – knowing where every team is, and being able to reach the right one instantly, is the difference between a well-run operation and a disjointed response. The Crosswire system receives GPS positions from rescue teams’ handheld radios, providing real-time location data for each team member.
This allows coordination teams to track the precise movements of rescue personnel in the field, improving situational awareness during emergency operations.
Murray Freeth-Edwards, a North Shore AREC volunteer and a key driver of the rollout, says the system is about getting the right information to the right people.
“Behind every successful Search and Rescue or Civil Defence operation is clear communication. Crosswire helps ensure the right message reaches the right people, at the right time.
“When volunteers are equipped with the right tools, communities are better protected. Crosswire helps AREC deliver reliable communications when they matter most, enabling emergency services to focus on saving lives.”
Crosswire needs an internet connection to work. For a volunteer-run charity, that is an ongoing cost – and it is the one which Vetta Group has taken on, sponsoring the connectivity that keeps the system online.
Shaun Fisher, Founder & Operations Manager at Vetta Group, says emergency response increasingly depends on a working internet connection.
“When the weather turns and the power goes out, the people who turn up are volunteers – and they can only do their job if they can talk to each other. Communication is the first thing a response needs, and often the first thing to go.
“Covering AREC’s internet connection is a small thing for us and a significant one for them. Vetta is a New Zealand business built on keeping communities connected, so getting behind the volunteers who do exactly that when it matters most was an easy decision.”
AREC CEO John Murphy says the support makes a practical difference to a volunteer organisation.
“The success of the AREC Crosswire initiative has been made possible through the generous support of Vetta Group, who have kindly sponsored the internet connectivity that keeps the system online and available.
“Their contribution provides a reliable connection that enables Crosswire to support Search and Rescue and Civil Defence operations across New Zealand.
“As a volunteer-based charitable organisation, support like this makes a genuine difference. We are sincerely grateful to Vetta Group for their commitment to our mission and for helping us enhance the services our volunteers deliver to the communities we serve.”