Chapter 2 communications

Nonemergency calls

Inquires

Requests for assistance

Personal calls

• Answer call promptly

• Be pleasant

• Identify department, station, unit, yourself

• Be prepared to record message

  • Time, Date, Message

  • Your name

  • Name and telephone number of caller

• Never leave line open or on hold

• Post message/deliver promptly

• if unable to answer question

  • Refer to someone who can

  • Follow up

• End call courteously

Anger or upset calls

• Remain calm, pleasant, take necessary info, refer to appropriate officer/division

Telecommunications systems

Emergency Service Specific Telecommunications Center

• Separate telecoms/dispatcher centers

• Operated by Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire

Enhanced 911

• Combine telephone/computer equipment including computer aided dispatch

• Provides dispatcher info about caller, location, address

• Modern include text messaging, smartphone apps

Communications Center Equipment

• Two-way radio system

• Equipment for hearing impairments

• Tone-generating equipment for dispatching resources

• Direct line telephones

• Recording systems/telephones

• Computers

• Alarm receiving equipment

Processing Emergency Calls

Telecommunicators also Dispatchers

• Calls handled quickly

• NFPA 1221 outlines requirements for receiving, processing, dispatching responders

• Procedures in place for public to contact fire directly

Collecting Information during Emergency Call

• Type of emergency

• Location of emergency

• Number and location of people involved

• Name and location of caller

• Callback number

Types of Dispatch Alarms

Visual

• Station lights

Audible

• Vocal alarm

• Station bell or gong

• Sirens

• Whistles/ airhorns

Electronic

• Computer terminal screen with alarm or line printer

• Direct telephone connection with telecommunications center

• Radio with tone alert

• Scrolling message boards

• Television override

• Radio

• Pagers

• Cell phones, smartphones, landline phones

• Home electronic monitors

• Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)

Pagers

• Set to specific frequency

• Dispatch can send alert codes

• Alert by tone, light, vibration

• Voice message or alphanumeric message

• When departments share frequency set to alert to avoid hearing unwanted radio traffic

Sirens, Whistles, Airhorns

• Common in small communities/ industrial facilities

• Mounted on radio tower, water tower, tall building

• Produce signal everyone in community can hear

Emergency Information Broadcast to Department Members

• Information from caller

• Information from preincident plan

• Units assigned

• Type of emergency

• Address or location

• Dispatch time

• Current conditions

• Units substituted into normal assignments

After Dispatch Transmission is Complete

• Assigned units confirm receipt of information

• Telecommunications center confirms all units have been notified and are on assignment

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Regulates all communication in US

Issue radio license to fire departments that operate radio equipment

• It is a federal offense to send personal or unauthorized messages over a designated fire department radio channel

Clear Text

• Used by most departments

• Plain English rather than agency specific codes

• Standardized emergency specific words/phrases

Fire Department Radio System Uses

• Alert units of emergency

• Coordinates tactics

• Request addition resources

• Monitor activities of units/individuals

Assigned to

• Facilities

• Apparatus

• Official vehicles

• Personnel

Personnel must be trained in

• Periodic tests

• Emergency/nonemergency operations

• How radio system works

• Limitations of radio communications

• Fixed, mobile, portable radios

Radio Systems

Radio Systems classified by location/size, radio systems have various signal transmission options. All radios feature number of channels maybe assigned to nonemergency or emergency.

• Location and Size

  • Fixed locations (fire stations, telecommunications centers, training centers, admin offices {base station radios})

  • Base station radios are powerful, better than mobile radios

  • Base station has receiver, transmitter, antenna, microphone, speakers

  • Mobile radios mounted in apparatus’s, use vehicle power

  • Portable radios are handheld lest powerful (rechargeable/batteries)

  • May have emergency response button, keypads, intrinsically safe

• Signal Transmission

  • Direct communication, straight line travel signal

  • other groups can use same channel at greater distances

  • Repeated communications strengthen communication signals

  • Increased number of users, keying radio may not allow firefighter to talk

• Fireground Channels

  • Modern fire services operate on variety of channels

  • Designed to operate on multiple channels

  • Most have dispatch only channel

  • Command channel assigned to IC

  • 2nd channel assigned for fireground operations

  • Nonemergency channels are also used (training, code enforcement, admin personnel)

Radio Limitations

• Distance

  • Depends on power of transmitter/receiver radio

  • Height of broadcast/receiving antenna

  • Repeaters can be used to increase AOE

  • Static/Broken messages indications of limit

• Physical Barriers

  • Totally, partially, reflected

  • Tunnels, basements, structures may use talk around function, but not to IC

  • Body can act as physical barrier/reposition yourself, turn 90 degrees

• Dead zones

  • Spot causes radio signal loss

  • Repeaters built to eliminate dead zone

  • Moving outside, roof, window doorway may help

  • Inspectors during pre-incident should perform radio checks

  • In large metal/concrete radios may not work

• Interference

  • Another powerful signal

  • Electric motors

  • Computers

  • Car ignitions

  • Cell towers/transmitters

  • High-voltage transmission lines

  • Microprocessors

  • Radio stations/televisions

  • High-quality transmitters should filter out interference

• Ambient noise

  • New tech has noise-canceling microphones

  • Stay away from noise as much as possible

Radio Procedures

All recorded transmissions are part of official record on incident and may be made public due to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

• 1st Units/person identify themselves in all transmission

• 2nd, receiver acknowledge the message

• Wait 2 seconds before reply