Portable Radios- One For Each Crew Member or Do You Have to Share Them?

Several months ago, my F.D. updated our portable radios so that each seating position had it's own portable radio. We were able to do this due to a grant. This ensures that each crew member on that rig has his/her own radio. This has greatly improved safety and communication. I was just wondering what other F.D's, (from big city to small town) are doing.

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oh, I am completely aware that buying 60 or so radios would be MUCH CHEAPER than paying off my mom- or whomever killed surviving beneficiary. The spouse or parent of the potential LoDD will be able to drive a shiny red firetruck around, since they'll pretty much be owning the department!

They don't listen, that's why we are afraid it really is going to take a death, even though we all know it's a safety issue.
I run with a voluteer department. Do to not having the money only Officers have portable's. We are buying a few portable's each year so we can get them in the trucks. So each member on the scene will have a radio. The only thing I don't really like about everyone having a radio is there seems to be alot of unneccesery radio traffic and alot of repeat traffic.
Patrick-
Along with radios comes the training in how to use them. What I mean by that is training each person when to talk and when to listen. I hope that makes sense. Stay safe!
We have 4 Chief Officers, 3 captains and 3 lieutenants each of which have a portable assigned to them. When we make entry we are supposed to have an officer with us. We keep one portable on slow charge in each of our engines for the team if there are no officers. We have 6 portables with chest harness' in our rescue for us to use, and there is a plan to buy more in the future to TRY and have all interiors equipped with a radio.

We try to approach our Village Board for money, but they dont listen. We have had fund raisers all year long but that just barely covers our bills and needed equipment like hose and tools, maintenance on trucks, etc. We have chiefs writing grants annually, but see depts all around us with smaller rosters and less calls getting the money and not us. If anyone else has any more ideas Im open to hear them. I believe every ff that enters should have a radio in case they get lost or separated and need to call a Mayday or just contact someone.
Each of our line officers have a radio and we try to make sure everyone on the interior attack has a radio for safety reasons and better communications between interior and exterior operations.

The only problem with everyone having a radio is increased radio chatter taht really does not need to be done on the radio it can be done face to face.

Beause we all know if they have a radio they are going to use it.
I come from a small Combination dept, The chiefs and capt have thier own dept. issued radios. Everybody else is assigned on e when on shift and there is a bank of radio's at the station for the volunteers to grab. As some one stated earlier, you couldn't pay me enough to go in a fire with out a radion of my own. What happens in a collapse and you and your partner seperate?
This is crazy.

Firefighters need to take a stand and make the JHA understand that it is a life safety issue and until all positions on every company are supplied with radios no one goes in. Period.
I was looking for an NFPA standard on radios, but haven't had much luck. I agree, everyone needs a radio.
I also come from a small rural volunteer department with fewer that 100 active members. Our top ranking officers are issued radios for their use 24-7, and there is a single portable radio in each piece of apparatus. I would like to see a portable radio for each riding position for the safety of each team member on a fire ground.

We also have a limited number of pagers, not everyone has one. If you are able to respond for a certain percentage of the calls, you are issued a pager, if a pager is available. If you are not meeting the expectations as an active member of the company, your pager can be taken and issued to someone who is able to respond more frequently.

Unfortunately, our on-scene communications are not what they could be, but we are working to improve this. Time changes everything and we are slowly moving in the right direction, replacing antiquated equipment and purchasing new. All things in time...
At the moment we only have portal radio's for the officer and driver and that really in my opinion is playing Russian roulette.
Same here, we have portables for each person that packs up. It provides accountability and safety. This so that EVERYONE, on the fireground can hear what is going on. And you need that, what the stuff that is going on nowadays, who knows what we are reponding to!!!!
Each crew going in has at least 1 or 2 radio's, depends on what vehicle there on. Sometimes to many people have radios and everyone wants to talk.

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