The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Fireground Communication between firefighters
On a recent visit to the northeast i noticed that every firefighter wearing an airpack also gets a radio. I inquired about its effectiveness in operations and i was told that the best part is that everyone is told the same thing at the same time and accountibility is enhanced along with safety.
I broached the subject with my DC here in florida and he was receptive to the idea because out primary radios are trunked 800mhz and cost about 3 grand each. VHF's cost about 200dollars each but the firefighter safety aspect appealed to him the most
So far the number one fear is that there will be too much chit chat but i countered that training keeps that to a minium (because when I was a FF up there i was told from day one that the radio was for you to LISTEN and acknowlodge when talked to directly or to report a problem,not to talk).
another is dispatch cant respond to and clear the channel(s) for a mayday,
a distant concern is cost
anybody else got an opinion on this?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Moyer on
-
My department all the guys in the back get a radio. Plus each officer has one. We dont chit chat alot on a scene.. I like that we all are able to communicate in case of a mayday. One guy on the hose team can keep his off so they dont squeal. We carry both high and low band radios because our one mutual aide area uses high band but where I live we use low band.
-
Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on
-
Everyone on duty on my career FD has an assigned radio. The radio is coded to the riding position so when the mike is keyed on the repeater channels it is identified at dispatch what riding position is talking. The reality is at most calls the only people talking are officers and the occasional MPO. Chit chat has not been an issue.
On both of my POC FDs all of the officers have radios and there are extra radios on the engines for other crew members to grab. Chit chat has not been an issue here either.
-
Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
-
It really only makes sense that every riding position has a radio. Every FF should be able to alert of dangers....hole in floor, signs of collapse, etc...and should be able to hear of incident changes that call for changes in tactics and to be ready etc. It is imperative every FF should be able to call a MAYDAY and emergency situations.
Yes training is an aspect, but really isn't difficult to cut down on radio chatter, training is easy. I would say having a radio is right up there with having an SCBA, it should be a priority of every FD to ensure every FF is outfitted with such a safety piece of equipment.
-
Permalink Reply by FETC on
-
Russ, I live and work in New Hampshire. We (our state) received a federal interoperability grant to outfit the entire state with VHF mobiles and portables. My area was issues Motorola XTS 2500s. Every firefighter in my department was assigned a portable with their name coded into the radio. The riding assignment radio is positional and you still need a radio tag or riding list system to know who is E-1 seat 4. So the EDS activations on my radio will produce my last name in the digital display to the command post, without ever saying a word. The radios are a far cry from $200 each though, that would be a contractor type low end VHF. So the costs are still up there. The purpose of our interoperability project was that wherever we responded mutual aid, we would have interoperability communications with that department or agency. We have responded as far as 1-2 hours away and when we rolled into town, we were able to contact their dispatch and the entire state uses the same multiple tactical frequencies, so after checking in with dispatch, you can change the radios to go to work on the assigned tactical frequency. As far as accountability, it has made it safer from the aspect that if a guy is missing,lost, or trapped, you don't have to rely on the officer having to make the emergency transmission for you. Especially immportant if you are seperated from him. The downside to the amount of radios on th fireground is "feedback", as an officer I have to remind the firefighters to turn down their radios so I can call and make a transmission without a ton of interferring feedback. We train to tell them to turn them down to a comfortable listen volume and not have them blaring. Another downside is the "I have to tell someone something complex, where at times firefighters want to be heard instead of communicating through their officer. That just takes some old fashion officer to firefighter discipline.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
