Essentials of Fire Fighting, 5th Edition Chapter 19 — Fire Department Communications Firefighter II

Chapter 19 Lesson Goal After completing this lesson, the student shall be able to communicate effectively by radio and through various reports following the policies and procedures set forth by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). Firefighter II

Specific Objectives 1. Summarize guidelines for radio communications 2. Describe information given in arrival and progress reports. 3. Explain the purpose of tactical channels. (Continued) Firefighter II

Specific Objectives 4. Discuss calls for additional resources and emergency radio traffic. 5. Discuss evacuation signals and personnel accountability reports. 6. Summarize the information in incident reports. 7. Create an incident report. (Skill Sheet 19-II-1) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Use plain English or clear text without codes of any kind Clear text — Standardized set of fire-specific words and phrases, often used in the wildland fire community Use a moderate rate of speaking (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Use a moderate amount of expression in speech Use a vocal quality that is not too strong or weak Keep things such as gum and candy out of the mouth (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Be concise and to the point Think about what should be said before keying the microphone (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Everyone on the fireground should follow two basic rules Units must identify themselves in every transmission The receiver must acknowledge every message (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Do not transmit until the frequency is clear Any unit working at an emergency scene has priority over routine transmissions Do not use profane or obscene language on the air (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications All radio frequencies are monitored Hold the radio/microphone 1 to 2 inches (25 mm to 50 mm) from the mouth (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications On the emergency scene Avoid laying the microphone on the seat of the vehicle Do not touch the antenna when transmitting Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Also called a report on conditions or situation report Establish a time of arrival and inform other responding units of what actions might be needed (Continued) Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Format Situation found Action(s) taken/actions to be taken Command status (Continued) Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Some situations require more detail Address, if other than the one initially reported Building and occupancy description Nature and extent of fire or other emergency Attack mode selected (Continued) Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Some situations require more detail (cont.) Rescue and exposure problems Instructions to other responding units Location of Incident Command position Establishing Command Water supply situation Firefighter II

Progress Reports Used to keep the communications center continually advised Firefighter II

Progress Report Items Transfer of Command Change in command post location Progress (or lack of) toward incident stabilization Direction of fire spread (Continued) Firefighter II

Progress Report Items Exposures by direction, height, occupancy, and distance Any problems or needs Anticipated actions Firefighter II

Tactical Channels Most often used for large incidents Small routine incidents usually do not require a tactical channel In many departments, units are initially dispatched on the primary dispatch channel (Continued) Firefighter II

Tactical Channels Upon arrival on the scene, units may switch to an assigned tactical channel Firefighter II

Tactical Channels: Telecommunicator Roles Assign a tactical frequency Ensure additional responding units are aware of the assigned tactical channel Notify other agencies and services of the incident and the need for them to respond Provide updated information Firefighter II

Calls for Additional Resources Normally, only the Incident Commander may strike multiple alarms or order additional resources Know local procedure for requesting additional resources Be familiar with alarm signals (Continued) Firefighter II

Calls for Additional Resources When multiple alarms are struck, a radio-equipped mobile communications vehicle can be used to reduce the load on the communications center Firefighters must be able to communicate the need for team assistance Firefighter II

Emergency Radio Traffic Person transmitting the message should make the urgency clear Telecommunicator should give an attention tone, advise all other units to stand by, and then advise the caller to proceed (Continued) Firefighter II

Emergency Radio Traffic After the emergency communication is complete, telecommunicator notifies all units to resume normal or routine radio traffic Firefighter II

Evacuation Signals Used when the IC decides that all firefighters should immediately withdraw All firefighters should be familiar with their department’s method of sounding an evacuation signal (Continued) Firefighter II

Evacuation Signals Radio broadcast Similar to emergency traffic broadcast Message is broadcast several times (Continued) Firefighter II

Evacuation Signals Audible warning devices Will work outside small structures May not be heard by everyone Can be confused with those being used by units arriving at the scene Firefighter II

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) A systematic way of confirming the status of any unit operating at an incident When requested, every supervisor must verify the status of those under his or her command (Continued) Firefighter II

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) May have to rely on touch or hearing to verify each member’s status Others in the chain of command must rely on radio reports from their subordinates (Continued) Firefighter II

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) Command can request a PAR at any time, but one is usually requested when: The incident is declared under control Change in strategy Sudden catastrophic event Emergency evacuation A firefighter missing or in distress Firefighter II

Incident Reports National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) outlines information needed NFIRS uses the Internet to transfer data from each state to the federal database A vital part of the emergency Available to the public (Continued) Firefighter II

Incident Reports An incident report should include detailed information Entered into databases at the state and national level Information is used for a variety of purposes Firefighter II

Summary Fire department communications are a critical factor in the successful outcome of any incident. The better the communications, the safer the incident. Firefighter II

Review Questions 1. List three guidelines for speaking over the radio. 2. What information should be given in an arrival report? 3. Why are tactical channels used? (Continued) Firefighter II

Review Questions 4. When are evacuation signals given? 5. What information should be given in an incident report? Firefighter II