GREENE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES Standard Fire Radio Procedures Director John P. Farrell Jr. Deputy Director Randy Ormerod
PURPOSE: This procedure will acquaint Fire Service members with the standard practice for the Fire Radio System in Greene County. These procedures and rules are according to the requirements of the Federal Communications Commission and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control. REGULATIONS: No Fire Officer or Firefighter may use the 2-way Radio System licensed under the County of Greene unless they have received radio training. All fire department or company base stations operating on the system must follow the rules and regulation established for the County. Training may be given by the Chief of a department or company, by the Training Officer of the department or company, a State Fire Instructor, the Director of Emergency Services, Deputy Director of Emergency Services or a Sr. Dispatcher. Greene County request ALL Departments and Companies to utilize the Incident Command System (ICS). By using the ICS at all incidents will streamline communications and make the incident more manageable. The Incident Commander needs to operate the Command Post from a MOBILE radio. GREENE COUNTY FIRE RADIO: This is a DUPLEX SYSTEM operating on the frequencies of 46.14 MHZ and 46.26 MHZ assigned by the FCC. 46.14 MHZ is the primary frequency used by the County Base Stations when transmitting to mobile units, other base stations, station house receivers, and home alert units. 46.26 MHZ is the secondary frequency used ONLY under the direction of the ranking Emergency Operations Dispatcher on duty, the Greene County Emergency Services Director, Greene County Emergency Services Deputy Director, Deputy Fire Coordinator, or the Fire Officer in charge of an incident may also request the use of the frequency from the Dispatcher. 46.14 MHZ (Channel 1 or Frequency 1) is the frequency used during normal operations. 46.26 MHZ (Channel 2 or Frequency 2) is the frequency used whenever 46.14 MHZ becomes overcrowded. 46.30 MHZ (Portable ONLY) may be used for fire ground operations. GREENE COUNTY EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTER: The County Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is in the County Emergency Services Building, 25 Volunteer Drive, Cairo, N.Y. Telephone: 622-3344 for Emergency Business Only! 622-3548 for Office Business, 622-3133 for FAX. ***All administrative and emergency numbers are capable of TDD operations***. ***All Phones and radios are taped*** Greene County Radio Identifier: Greene 9-1-1
MOBILE IDENTIFIER: The identifiers of mobile units will include: TYPE OF VEHICLE COUNTY NUMBER OF VEHICLE (Example E3-21) We permit two way mobile radios in all Fire Department or Company owned emergency vehicles and Chiefs or Assistant Chiefs private vehicles when specifically authorized by the County Fire Coordinator. PORTABLE IDENTIFIERS: We suggest that the number of the apparatus to which department assigns the portable radio be used, by changing the identifier to read PORTABLE followed by the number assigned to the apparatus. Example: Engine 4-3 the portable would be PORTABLE 4-3 : Should a department or company prefer to use the same numbering as applies to apparatus, use the County assigned prefix number for the department or company followed by the next open number for the department or company. Example: PORTABLE 18-6" If more than one portable is on an apparatus, letters may be added after the number. Example: PORTABLE 18-3A, 18-3B, etc. BASE STATION IDENTIFIERS: All base stations are to use their FCC Call Letters and number at least once in each transmission as per F.C.C. rules and regulations. CHIEF OFFICER CAR IDENTIFIERS: Greene County Fire Coordinators will use GREENE or COUNTY as their identifier prefix for Mobiles or Portables. A local Fire Chief with a radio equipped vehicle will use the identifier number assigned to their department or company. Examples: COORDINATOR: GREENE CAR 1 or COUNTY CAR 1 KISKATOM CHIEF: CAR 16-10
MUTUAL AID ASSISTANCE: When calling Greene 911 for mutual aid assistance, the person calling must BE SPECIFIC: 1) What agency unit 2) Where exactly do you want the Dept./Company or unit. BY RADIO---Call Greene 911 and give the identifier of the unit you are calling from and the above information EXAMPLE: Greene 911 this is Hunter Command request Tannersville with 1 Engine to the scene and have Haines Falls relocate with (1) ETA to standby at the Hunter Firehouse. STATION HOUSE RECEIVERS: Station House Receivers are used to activate local alarms via radio tones generated at the ECC. The Dispatchers can activate any Fire department or company's public alarm system or activating ALL alarms at once by means of a Group Call set of tones. ALARM TESTS: The local Chief and the Director s office establish tests. Every Department or Company must test their alarm system from the Greene County 911 Center at least once a month. We will not allow any test when any County unit is Out of Service on an emergency. A county wide ALL CALL alarm/siren test will be conducted four times a year on the third Saturday of the last month of the quarter at 13.00 hours March, June, September and December. ***THIS IS A TEST OF THE ALARMS/SIREN AND NOT PAGERS*** INTER COUNTY FREQUENCY (STATEWIDE): Greene County 911 are licensed on 45.88 MHZ to coordinate inter county operations. The FCC issues the license for one base station at 911 Center and mobiles in the Director, Deputy Director s and Deputy Fire Coordinators vehicles. Under established statewide regulations, there may be no other units licensed to operate on this frequency and no Fire department or company is permitted to operate on the same. It is strictly a COMMAND FREQUENCY. Strict rules are established for its use. EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTER S identifier is GREENE 911 In the event a fire department or company needs assistance from outside the County, they must call the Greene County 911 Center in the usual manner. The 911 Center will then transmit the request on the Inter County Frequency (45.88 MHZ) to the Control Center of the County from where the department request assistance. That Control Center will then relay the request through normal Mutual Aid Procedures in that County to the Fire department or company from which assistance is requested. The counties surrounding Greene that are equipped with the 45.88 frequency are: Delaware, Columbia, Ulster, and Schoharie.
VEHICLE DESIGNATIONS: "E" - ENGINE - Pumper equipped with a 500 G.P.M. or a larger pump. "T" - TRUCK - Ladder, Aerial, or Quint. C - CAR - Officers Car. "TA" - TANKER - Tank truck with less than a 500 G.P.M. pump. "ETA -ENGINE-TANKER - 500 G.P.M. or a larger pump & 600 GAL. or larger water tank. "R" - RESCUE - Rescue truck, Ambulance, or Emergency unit. "M" - MISCELLANEOUS - any vehicle not otherwise identified: (i.e., High Pressure Fog, Utility van, Mini Pumper, etc.) P" - PORTABLE - hand-held radio, Walkie talkies, etc. TERMINOLOGY: OUT OF SERVICE - When an apparatus leaves its station for a FIRE, REPAIRS, OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON to be out of service and not available for Mutual Aid - the unit must report to the 911 Center. RESPONDING - ON THE SCENE - ARRIVING - IN SERVICE - When an apparatus leaves its station for a FIRE, REPAIRS, OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON to be out of service and not available for Mutual Aid - the unit must report to the 911 Center. When the equipment is on the scene of the emergency. When the equipment is on the scene of the emergency. When the unit has been returned to its station or is again in service and ready to respond to an alarm. IN and OUT OF SERVICE information is necessary so that the 911 Center is aware whether or not a specific piece of equipment is available for dispatching. HOW TO USE THE EQUIPMENT MICROPHONE: Hold the microphone in one hand. Talk across the mike in a normal tone. Do not talk directly into the mike. PRESS BUTTON TO TALK. Speak in a normal voice. Do not shout. SPEAK SLOWLY and distinctly. Keep the messages short and to the point. DO NOT USE PROFANITY The RED light on the control head will be lit when transmitting. RELEASE THE PUSH TO TALK BUTTON TO RECEIVE.
RECEIVER CONTROLS: To conserve the vehicle's battery, the engine should be running while the radio is on. ESPECIALLY WHEN TRANSMITTING. ON-OFF SWITCH - Green Pilot light is on. CHANNEL PLAN: (Mobile & Portables) Channel 1 46.14 Greene County dispatch frequency Channel 2 46.26 Greene County 2 nd frequency Channel 3 46.30 Greene County fire ground operations SQUELCH CONTROL - Adjust to noise level, and then back off until noise stops. VOLUME CONTROL - Adjust until you can hear (a signal is necessary). Note: VOLUME CONTROL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TRANSMITTING - ONLY CONTROLS THE RECEIVER. PROCEDURE: Before beginning any transmission, be sure to LISTEN and be certain no one else is transmitting. We can compare the system with a party line telephone and we must all share the use. Whenever receiving an urgent message from the 911 Center, another mobile, or another base station, you should always repeat the message to insure you have received it correctly. This applies to the 911 Center personnel and mobile operators. When transmitting a call, be sure to give the Call Signs of the unit or base being called FIRST, followed by the identifier of the unit from which you are calling. Example: GREENE 911 - this is Greene Car 1 The use of any codes including 10 codes are prohibited. PROCEDURE WORDS ALL STATIONS AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE IN SERVICE OUT OF SERVICE ON THE SCENE STAND BY ALL STATIONS STAND BY USE OR MEANING ATTENTION ALL STATIONS YES, CORRECT, RECEIVED NO, INCORRECT, NOT RECEIVED VEHICLE IS READY FOR DUTY AND AVAILABLE VEHICLE IS DISPATCHED OR NOT AVAILABLE VEHICLE IS ON SCENE OF AN EMERGENCY NETWORK IS BUSY. WAIT I WILL CALL YOU. TO OBTAIN AIR FOR URGENT OR EMERGENCY MESSAGE
FIRE DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIER NUMBERS ASSIGNED EACH DEPT. OR CO. DEPT. BASE STATION ID'S DEPT NO. ASHLAND 01 ATHENS KUV 753 02 CATSKILL WPII 566 03 WPII 567 CAIRO KTH 520 04 COXSACKIE KXZ 554 05 KNBP 852 LANESVILLE 06 EARLTON KXK 361 07 EAST DURHAM 08 EAST JEWETT 09 FREEHOLD 10 GREENVILLE KZB 212 11 HAINES FALLS KNBG 331 12 HENSONVILLE 13 HUNTER 14 JEWETT 15 KISKATOM WPIN 409 16 LEEDS WPUN 601 17 LEXINGTON KNAG 23 18 MEDWAY-GRAPEVILLE 19 NEW BALTIMORE KNFM 272 20 OAK HILL-DURHAM 21 PALENVILLE 22 PRATTSVILLE 23 ROUND TOP 24 TANNERSVILLE KFM 335 25 WINDHAM KWX 617 26 WEST ATHENS-LIMESTREET 27 OUT OF COUNTY DEPARTMENTS (on County Frequencies) COEYMANS TRI-VILLAGE KVD 709 51 COEYMANS HOLLOW SAUGERTIES 53 MEDUSA 54 SAXTON 55 RAVENA GRAND GORGE WESTERLO 58 COXSACKIE CORRECTIONAL INST. 61 N.Y. STATE DEC RANGERS 62 GREENPORT FIRE DEPT. CITY OF HUDSON FIRE DEPT.
TWO-WAY MOBILE RADIOS To comply with Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 115 a # 2 and FCC Rule 90.21 (a) we permit mobile radios in: PORTABLE RADIOS 1. All emergency vehicles a. maximum wattage - 60 watts 2. Chiefs and Assistance Chiefs vehicles a. maximum wattage - 60 watts b. maximum units per dept. - 1 Chief and 4 Assistant Chiefs 3. Radios WILL NOT be installed and used in line officers vehicles. (Foremen, Captains, or Lieutenants, etc.) 4. Radios WILL NOT be installed and used in Fire Police private vehicles. 5. All vehicles will use their assigned County Identifiers. We permit portable radios for: 1. All Emergency vehicles. a. maximum wattage - 10 watts 2. Chiefs and Assistance Chiefs private vehicles. a. maximum wattage - 10 watts 3. The 46.30 MHZ Fire Ground Frequency has been designated for Portable Radios ONLY as stated in FCC Rule 90.21 note 1 a. maximum wattage - 10 watts 4. All portables will use their assigned County Identifier. TWO-WAY BASE STATIONS 1. Transmissions will be only for communications essential to official fire activities. a. Announcements will be authorized only by the Chief, Asst. Chief, or Senior Officer present in the Department. They will be responsible for controlling the announcements of their Department. b. Permission must be obtained from the Greene County Emergency Operations Center Dispatcher before any announcement is made, except in an emergency. We will allow no announcement when any county unit is out of service on an emergency.
c. Permitted announcements: 1. Emergency nature 2. Special meetings, drills, or classes 3. Cancellations or changes of meetings, drills, or classes 4. Funeral notices d. Non Permitted Announcements: 1. social events 2. sporting events 3. fund drives 4. company/department regular meetings 5. commissioners/board of directors regular meetings 6. officers regular elections 7. raffle drawings 8. ladies auxiliary regular activities 2. The radio will not be used for personal or "sensitive" messages. 3. Base stations must be protected to guard against unauthorized use. 4. All base stations will use their FCC assigned call letters and numbers in each transmission. 5. Tests should be conducted once a week. a. Permission will be obtained from the Greene County 911dispatcher before any tests are conducted. b. We will not allow tests when any County unit is out of service on an emergency. 6. Permitted announcements that are done by Greene 911 will be done once. TESTS FROM GREENE 911 1. Are conducted at the request of the local department. 2. Every department must test their alarm system from the 911 Center at least once a month. 3. We strongly urge that all departments test their alarm system from the 911 Center weekly. 4. "All Call" alarm tests will be conducted quarterly from the 911 Center. We will conduct these tests on the 3rd Saturday of March, June, September, and December at 1300 hrs.
PURCHASING NEW OR REPLACING OLD EQUIPMENT 1. All radio equipment ordered or purchased by any department must be compatible with the present system and must comply with all FCC and Greene Co. regulations. 2. The Director of Emergency Services must be notified on any new or replacement radio equipment. John P. Farrell 04/04/05