Post on 06-Feb-2022
Why Use The 800 Radio System
• Interoperability– All Fire, EMS, Police, and Public Safety
can communicate on the same system– No More High or Low Band Systems– Units assigned to a call can switch to and use
the same TALK groups
Comparison of Old System to New System
OLD• Total Radio Freq 8 not counting
Disp Freq• Fire Disp Low 33.70• Fire Disp High 154.130• Norristown Disp 154.370• Lower Merion Disp 33.84• Cheltenham Disp 154.445• Pottstown Disp 33.44• Fire Ch 2 Low 33.66• Fire Ch 2 High 154.280• Tac Ch High 1• Tac Ch Low 1 to 4• Fire Police 1
NEW• Total Talkgroups 31 Not
Counting Disp Talk Group• Fire Disp• Fire Region East 1 to 3• Fire Region West 4 to 6• Fire Ground East 1 to 6• Fire Ground West 1 to 6• Event Chan 1 to 10• Fire Police East• Fire Police West• Fire Police Local
How does the 800 Mhz Radio System Work
• There are currently 18 frequencies that can be used in our system
• All frequencies are shared by all users• Users are divided into TAKLGROUPS
– FIRE, EMS, POLICE, PUBLIC SAFETYOthers
How does the 800 Mhz Radio System Work
• All users are given priorities as to how they are recognized on the system
• All Emergency Services have the same priority
• The EMERGENCY BUTTON (orange button)
has the highest priority
800 Mhz Radio System
• The County has been divided into two sections EAST and WEST
– This division was done to utilize the 800 system to it’s fullest potential
– And ad hock Fire Chiefs Committee divided each section into Regions solely based on call
volume
White Stars 7 Original 800 Towers Black Star was removed
Green Stars 13 New 800 Towers Total 800 Towers 20
WEST EAST
800 Mhz Digital Radio Template• All Fire & EMS Radios will be set up with the same
Talkgroups in 3 Banks A B C• A Bank
• Fire & EMS Disp, – Fire Regions 1 to 6
– EMS Hail – Ops
– ER 1 & 2– Public Safety Coordination (Pscord)
– Emergency– Fire Police East & West
– Total of 16 Talkgroups
800 Mhz Digital Radio Template
• All Fire & EMS Radios will be set up with the same Talk Groups in 3 Banks A B C
• B Bank• Event TalkGroups 1 to 10
• 11 to 16 blank– Feature Talk Groups
Total 16 TalkGroups
800 Mhz Digital Radio Template• All Fire & EMS Radios will be set up with the same
Talkgroups in 3 Banks A B C• C Bank
– Fire Ground 1 to 6– Fire Police Local
– National Hail– National Talk Groups 1 to 4– Dynamic (Control Group)
– Tactical repeater (TACRPT)– Public safety Cord 1 & 2 (PSCL)
Total 16 TalkGroups
800 Mhz Digital Radio TemplateA Bank B Bank C Bank
1 Fire Reg 1 1 Event 1 1 FireGrnd 1
2 Fire Reg 2 2 Event 2 2 FireGrnd 2
3 Fire Reg 3 3 Event 3 3 FireGrnd 3
4 Fire Reg 4 4 Event 4 4 FireGrnd 4
5 Fire Reg 5 5 Event 5 5 FireGrnd 5
6 Fire Reg 6 6 Event 6 6 FireGrnd 6
7 Fire Pol. W 7 Event 7 7 Fire Pol
8 Fire Pol. E 8 Event 8 8 NTHAIL
9 Pscord 9 Event 9 9 NPSP 1
10 *Fire Disp 10 Event 10 10 NPSP 2
11 Emerg 11 11 NPSP 3
12 Er2 12 12 NPSP 4
13 Er1 13 13 Dynmac
14 EMS Ops 14 14 TACRPT
15 *Emerg Disp 15 15 PSCL 2
16 EMS Hail 16 16 PSCL 1
Recorded Recorded Not Recorded
800 Mhz Digital Radio Dispatch
• Dispatches will be done on their respective (TalkGroups) Fire Disp or EMS Disp– Fire Companies will then move to their respective Fire
Region• Fire Units can then move to an assigned Fire Ground
(talkgroup)
– EMS Units will then move to EMS Operations • EMS Units will be able to use PSCL 1 or 2 (talkgroup)
– Event talkgroups (large events) will be assigned upon request or by the dispatcher
800 Mhz Digital Radio East & West
• Fire and Emergency dispatches will be simultaneously transmitted to both East &
West Talk Sections
West Section
made up of
Region 1, 2, 3
East Section
made up of
Regions 4, 5, 6
800 Mhz Digital Radio
• Your 800 Mhz radio is capable of scanning 10 Talkgroups
• You can only scan talkgroups in 1 Section at a time EAST or WEST
– But you can set your radio to either section at any time and still here a Dispatch in your home section and Region
– Units responding from one region or section to another need onlyto switch their radio to the region where the emergency exists
– Responding units will then be in direct communications with the Incident Commander or Officer in Charge
800 Mhz Digital Radio
• Each 800 MHZ radio has 2 preset scanned Talkgroups (Dispatch and Emergency)
– If your radio is set on Region 3 and scanning any message over region 3 will over ride the
scanned Talkgroups
800 Mhz Digital Radio
• Remember this is a REPATER type system – If you talk before you here the beep some of what you
said will be lost– If you here a bonk tone one of several things may be
happening– No signal
– All channels are busy– Your radio has been damaged
IntroductionPurpose & Scope
The purpose of this document is to provide a STANDARD policy and procedure manual so
resources can be deployed in a timely and predictable manor.
Standardized procedures will reduce the time it takes to process and dispatch calls and reduce
errors.
Communications with the Dispatch Center
Under normal conditions it is not necessary for a unit to call and wait for acknowledgement before transmitting a short message.
County Engine 27-1 Responding
For lengthy or important messages you should make a primary call and wait for acknowledgement
When calling the dispatch center the message should start with COUNTY followed by your unit number
COUNTY from CHIEF 27
Communications with the Dispatch Center continued
• In the event that a major element in the dispatch center is in failure or in danger of failing or a
critical security event (internal or external) to the EOC all units will be advised of a
• A SYSTEM ALERT IS IN EFFECT• DO NOT CALL the EDS for details
– Stations should be staffed and units deployed using back-up procedures as necessary
Incident Evacuation Plan
• The IC activates the plain by broadcasting that all personnel to Evacuate Immediately
– Example command• 27 Command to County and all units operating at the
XYZ Street fire Evacuate Immediately
• EDS will simultaneously rebroadcast this command on all frequencies used at the scene of the incident
this will be repeated in 2 minuets
Incident Evacuation Plan continued
• All vehicle operators at the scene should sound their air horns simultaneously and continuously for 15 seconds.
• Upon the command Evacuate Immediatelyall personnel should leave the affected area
Incident Evacuation Plan continued
• Officers– Immediately perform PAR (personnel accountable report) and report to the IC
• PAR – Indicates that all personnel are accounted for– if personnel are missing report same to the IC
how many and where they are trapped if known
Incident Evacuation Plan continued
• The Evacuation plan – should only be used for Emergency's not for
changes in strategy– Upon the IC decision to resume operations , it
will be announced via radio and to EDS
Types of Alarms• BOX ALARMS
• BUILDING FIRES
• INDUSTRIAL
• INSTITUTIONAL
• COMMERCIAL TYPE BUILDING
• APARTMENT BUILDINGS
• MEDIUM OR HIGH HAZARD OCCUPANCIES
Types of Alarmscontinued
•TACTICAL ALARMS
• Dwellings (non commercial buildings)
•Residents
• Garages
• Sheds and Out Buildings
•Appliances
• Televisions Toasters (ect)
• Small equipment that can be carried out of the structure
Types of Alarmscontinued
• Local Alarms
•Fire alarms (automatic, water flow ,manual)
•CO alarms carbon monoxide
•Vehicle fires (type of vehicle)
•Trash outside (rubbish)
•Electrical outside (wires, pole, transformer)
•Electrical inside (wires , odor of electrical)
•Accident with injuries
Types of Alarmscontinued
•Local Alarms continued
•Odor of gas outside (any type of gas including propane)
•Odor of gas inside ( any type of gas odor)
•Stand-by
•Accident (called by police hazard control)
•Fires (at your station or move to another station)
•Helicopter (when on is placed on stand-by)
Types of Alarmscontinued
•Local Alarms continued
•Debris (Fluid on roadway)
•HazMat (spill or release of a hazardous material other than small fuel leak)
•Investigation (any type of hazardous condition)
•Brush (grass, woods, fields, mulch, trees)
•Special Service ( assist police , EMS, other agency)
•Rescue (any type)
•Helicopter Landing (direct fly)
•System Failure (critical event or shut down of system)
Types of Alarmscontinued
•Extra Alarms
• Request for assistance by the IC
• Special calls of equipment
• Additional alarms (transmit a 2nd alarm)
BOX ALARM SYSTEM
• Boxes: designates areas or zones in each departments jurisdiction which allows for the easy identification of the geographic location of the incident.– Identifies map area locations– Deployment of the nearest appropriate recourses
• Fire - EMS - Police - Public Works - Others
Box Alarm Systemcontinued
• TYPES OF Boxes
Box (full box) Rescue BoxTactical Box Hazmat BoxLocal Box Special CallsRural Tactical Box
Box Alarm System continued
• Fire Companies or the Municipality will determine the appropriate responses in their
jurisdiction
Box Alarm System continued
•Fire Companies or the Municipality will determine the appropriate responses in their jurisdiction
Guide lines based on the NFPA Fire Protection Handbook
High Hazard Occupancies
Box
2 Chiefs
4 Engines
2 Ladders
Specialized units
Medium Hazard Occupancies
Tactical Box
1 Chiefs
3 Engines
1 Ladders
Specialized units
Rural Occupancies
Tactical Box
1 Chiefs
1 Engines 500 gal min.
1 Tanker 1000 gal min.
Specialized units
Box Alarm System continued
• The Department of Emergency Dispatch Services a Division of Montgomery County Public Safety will assist any Fire/EMS organization in making changes to their BOX system.
– Contact the Assistant Director for Information & Data at 610-631-6545 for assistance.
Radio Communications and Reports
• The adopted ICS system will be the standard operating procedure for
Montgomery County
– First arriving unit should advise their arrival and provide a brief description of conditions
Radio Communications and Reports continued
– Engine 21 on location (describe structure and conditions observed): Heavy smoke showing, second floor
– Standard terminology includes• nothing showing, light smoke showing, heavy
smoke showings, fire showing, fully involved– Non structural nature and conditions can simply
confirm the dispatch conditions• Eng 53 on location we have a small brush fire we
can handle alone
Radio Communications and Reports continued
• On all Working building fires, rescues, hazardous materials, and closures of limited access highways the IC will be given a Twenty (20) minute marks by EDS.– IC will update the EDS with information about
the call• EDS will continue the 20 minuet marks until
– the incident is placed under control – advised by the IC to discontinue the checks
Radio Communications and Reports continued
• Benchmarks– When the IC makes an important announcement
such as • Fire: is under control, HazMat: incident is under control,
Extraction: Rescue is complete, Evacuate: Building or Area, All Clear
• EDS will retransmit the information with– Box # or Tactical Box # or HazMat Box # or Rescue Box #
along with the Time
Communications Support Equipment
• Field Com. 1 is available to all Public Safety Agencies in Montgomery County upon request
• Types of incidents – extra alarm fires– major transportation accidents– HazMat – mass evacuations, – natural disasters– multi agency responses– anywhere the IC needs communication coordination
Communications Support Equipment continued
– The IC • will be identified as 27 Command or Any Town Command
– Field Com 1• will be identified as Field Com. 1 unless the IC is
commanding the incident from inside Field Com. 1
– Tech Support 1• This vehicle has extra radios a mobile repeater and ACU
1000 (interoperability equipment) along with the on call radio technician
Montgomery County Incident Command
• Command Designations– Once a Command Post (CP) has been established
• IC of the lead agency shall name the incident– 27 Command– Any town Command– Acme Command
– County will recognize only ONE command per incident
Montgomery County Incident Command continued
Sample ICS Flow Chart
Safiety OfficerSafety - 27
Fast Team(RIT)
Res 53
SupressionEng 27
Eng -27-1Lad 27
EMS308 -1308 - F
HazMat919911
RescueRes - 27
Police301307
IC27 Chief
Montgomery County Incident Command continued
• Additional Recourses
– COMMAND • shall make request for additional recourses • all other requests will have to be cleared through
COMMAND• only exception will be assist companies requesting a
stand-by company
Mayday ProceduresMayday
A nationally accepted term used when Emergency service personnel are in immediate danger.
Mayday should be used when Fire personnel find themselves in any of the following situations.
Low on air
Lost in the Building
Trapped
Overtaken by fire conditions
Mayday Dispatch Procedures continued
• The following procedures will be followed when ever a MAYDAY is received from
the fire ground.
• A MAYDAY call can come from the IC or any unit operating on the fire ground.
Mayday Dispatch Procedures continued
• Once a MAYDAY is received by EDS– EDS will assign another frequency for all
non-MAYDAY traffic– Only MAYDAY related radio transmission will
be allowed to remain on the original frequency– EDS will assign a second dispatcher to the call
with one dispatcher assigned to the MAYDAY
Mayday Dispatch Procedures continued
• EDS will make sure two (2) fast teams are assigned to the call
• Two (2) additional ALS ambulances will be assigned too the call
• After EDS has dispatch the MAYDAY FAST TRACK ASSIGNMENT
EDS will inform the IC– The IC may increase, reduce or recall the
TASK FORCE at his discretion
Mayday Dispatch Procedures continued
• If the dispatcher is unable to raise a command officer (i.e. may be incapacitated an explosion ect)
• The dispatcher with the approval of the shift supervisor will strike out an additional alarm
Fire Ground Mayday Procedures
• MAYDAY– Any emergency personnel that fells Trapped,
Injured, or Lost shall signal a MAYDAY
– The emergency personnel signaling a MAYDAY should activate their
PASS ALARM
Fire Ground Mayday Procedures continued
• Emergency personnel instituting a MAYDAYshould announce
• MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY– Identify themselves
– Give a location – Brief description of problem if possible
• ENG 27 portable to command we are trapped inside the basement, stairway collapsed
– Message should be repeated until acknowledged by the IC or EDS
Fire Ground Mayday Procedures continued
• If the IC does not acknowledge the MAYDAY alert EDS will relay the
information to the IC• IC shall deploy the necessary resources
needed to assist with the Rescue
Fire Ground Mayday Procedures continued
• Upon the MAYDAY call a Personal Accountability Report (PAR) shall be initiated for all other crews
• Fast Team shall notify the IC when the person(s) has been located – What actions are being taken to remove them– If additional assistance is needed– What additional equipment may be needed