westmoreland county 800 mhz radio standard operating guidelines communications 201 common sense...

Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio

Standard Operating Guidelines

COMMUNICATIONS 201

Common Sense Operations on the County 800 MHz Digital System.

The Meat and Potatoes of Use.


Standard Operating Guidelines Addressing the Communications Center

800 MHz Dispatch Channel/Talkgroup○ Position 1 on Radio (Talkgroup 1)○ Only for Fire Dispatch○ One-Way Communications○ Field Unit Communications is NOT Permitted○ Use Your Command Channel for Contact



Field units attempting to contact the Dispatch Console should initially identify the talkgroup they are calling on.○ Fire Dispatch from Chief 39 on Zone 1 Fire

Command, or…○ 9-1-1 from Chief 69 on TAC 3

Once initial contact is made with the center, it is no longer necessary to identify the talkgroup you are calling on, unless you change to a different talkgroup.



Please note…○ When the dispatcher is setting off the tones for

your siren and minitors, he is unable to answer you on the radio if you call him.

○ The console is busy.○ Please be patient. He will answer you as soon

as the dispatch is complete.○ If there is someone at the backup console, he

can answer you.


Standard Operating Guidelines Unit Identifiers

Fire Service Officers○ 33 Chief or Chief 33○ Assistant 102-1 or 102 Assistant 1

Non Officers or 1st Responders○ Portable 58 – 2 or 58 Portable 2

Fire Service Vehicles○ Engine 113 – 2 or 113 Engine 2○ 104 Rescue or Rescue 104

Know who you are or what radio you are using


Standard Operating Guidelines Officers Reporting in Service

Chief Officers and AssistantsOfficer Who May Act as Command (OIC)

○ In-Service or Enroute Switching to TAC 3○ Will Be Acknowledged by the Dispatcher

Other Officers and Personnel○ Make General Announcement on

Command Channel○ In-Service or Enroute Switching to TAC 3○ Will Not Be Acknowledged by the

Dispatcher


Standard Operating Guidelines Fire Dispatch Acknowledgements

Acknowledge on Zone Fire Command TAC (2)○ Acknowledge Alarm

Station 90 Acknowledges the call○ Acknowledge Enroute

Dispatch from Engine 90, enroute with 3 + 2○ Dispatcher Will Assign TAC for Operations

Switch to Assigned TAC○ Acknowledge Approaching and/or On-Scene

Engine 90 approaching scene requesting ordersDispatcher Will Maintain TimestampsDo Not Acknowledge if You Can’t Respond


Standard Operating Guidelines Assignment of Fire “TAC” Channels

TAC’s Assigned by DispatcherFire TAC 3 through TAC 9

○ Assigned Primarily for EMERGENCY UseTAC 10 & TAC 11

○ May Be Assigned for Non-Emergency UseTrees and/or wires down, flooding, etc.

○ May Be Used for Department TrainingRequests must be made in advance by telephone or

fax

○ May Be Re-Assigned for Emergency Use During Times of High Call Volumes



Simplicity of Operation○ Talkgroup Selector Corresponds to “TAC”

ChannelPosition 1 is Dispatch Talkgroup / ChannelPosition 2 is Specific Zone Command TalkgroupPosition 3 through 15 are “TAC” Talkgroups

- Remembering 12 through 15 are CW TAC’sPosition 16 is Talkaround or T/A

TAC Channels Assigned by Priority○ Higher Priority Calls Assigned Lower TAC○ Lesser Priority Calls Assigned Higher TAC



Dispatcher will assign an operations channel (TAC) during dispatch of incident

Request for Additional TAC Channel○ Incident OIC May Request Additional TAC

Channel○ Dispatcher Will Assign Second or Third

TAC, if Available○ Stand-bys Will Remain on Zone Command

Do Not Assign Your Own TAC



Dispatching outside companies into areas with municipal radio systems for alarms○ Assigned to Municipal System’s Frequency

ie. Switch to Hempfield Fire

○ Dispatcher Assisted Announcements Will be on the Municipal System and 33.70

Dispatching outside companies for stand-by into areas with municipal radio systems○ Remain on Zone Command○ Announcements Made on Zone Command

and 33.70



Dispatching of companies with municipality owned radio systems out of their area for alarms or stand-by○ Switch to Assigned a Fire TAC Channel○ Dispatcher announcements will be made on

both the municipality system and Fire TAC channelSize-UpsResponse level changesCancellations


Standard Operating Guidelines Zone Fire Command Channels

5 Specific Zone Fire Command Channels○ Zone 1, 2, 3, 4 and MV○ Correspond to Original Fire Zones○ Position 2 on Radio (Talkgroup 2)○ Used by OIC to Request Additional

ResourcesSecond alarmsStand-by companiesAny other resource needed for specific incident


Standard Operating Guidelines Zone Fire Command Channels

Additional Call(s) in Service Area○ Dispatcher Will Instruct OIC to Switch to

Their Command Talkgroup / Channel○ OIC Will Instruct Center on How to Handle

the CallRequest second alarmSend units not committed at original scene


Standard Operating Guidelines Size-Ups and Additional Information

Arrival of 1st Unit or Officer○ Initial Size-up (Assigned TAC Channel)

Incident Command System

○ First On-Scene Assumes CommandTactical Call Sign(Location) Command

- ie. Main St. Command (Establish Fire Ground)

○ Orders For 1st Arriving Unit○ Notify Center of Change in Command

Chief 87 Assuming CommandTactical Call Sign Remains the Same


Standard Operating Guidelines Size-Ups and Additional Information

Addressing the Communications Center○ Dispatcher Will Rebroadcast Message

Assigned Fire TAC and 33.70

Direct Communications to Incoming Units○ Dispatcher Not Involved○ Transmission Will Not be Rebroadcast

The 800 MHz Radio System is a Wide-Area, Simulcast System and it is Not Necessary to Involve the Dispatcher on Every Transmission


Standard Operating Guidelines Dispatcher Assisted Information

Response Level Changes○ Command Contacts Communications Center○ Dispatcher Rebroadcasts Information

Assigned Fire TAC and 33.70

Cancellations○ Individual Units Released from an Incident

Should Call “In Service” on the Command Channel

○ Cancelled Units Will be Placed Back In-Service

○ Units Will be Considered Available for Calls


Standard Operating Guidelines Additional Information

Termination of Command○ Once Incident Command has been

Terminated, it is NOT Necessary for the Individual Units to Acknowledge “In Service – Returning”

○ The Dispatcher Will Clear All Units from the Incident and Show them Available

○ Clear the TAC Channel


Standard Operating Guidelines Interoperability

Mobile○ Change to EMS TAC or Police ADMIN or T/A○ Contact Directly

XTS 2500 Portable○ Change to EMS TAC or Police ADMIN or T/A○ Contact Directly

XTS 1500 Portable○ Request CW TAC from Dispatcher○ TAC 12 through TAC 15○ Dispatcher Switches All Units Involved to CW

TAC



TAC 12 through TAC 15○ County-Wide (CW) TAC Channels○ Common to all Radios on the System○ Police, Fire, EMS, EMA, Hazmat, Public Works○ May be Used for Large Scale Emergencies &

Events○ May be Used for Multi-Agency Responses○ Request for Availability and Assignment Must be

Made Through the 9-1-1 Dispatcher○ Dispatcher Will Notify and Switch All Agencies to

CW TAC Assignment



TAC 16○ Talkaround or T/A○ Specific T/A for Each Service○ Designed for Close Range Communications○ Not Recommended for Emergency, Hazardous

or Potentially Hazardous Areas of Activity○ Not on 800MHz Digital System○ Dispatcher Can’t Hear You○ Emergency Button Activation Does Not

Work


Standard Operating Guidelines Storm Mode

Trees and wires down○ Use T/A or TAC 16

OIC Monitor Command Channel

Limit Radio Usage○ Emergency or Priority Traffic○ Keep Transmissions Short



Out of County AssistsHelicopters and Landing Zones

○ Use Low Band ZONE Operations Frequency○ Dispatcher May Assign a TAC Channel and

Patch the TAC Channel to the Low Band ZONE Operations ChannelChannel Patching is the process of interconnecting

the digital TAC channel to the conventional system via a voice-activated interface


Standard Operating Guidelines Fire “ADMIN” Channels

○ Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, MV and CW “ADMIN”All Fire, EMS & Police mobiles and XTS

2500 portable radios within a Fire Zone have the Zone ADMIN channel for that zone○ Non-Emergency Communications○ Administration Business○ Routine Communications Between Department

Personnel


Typical Template for XTS-1500Selector Talk Group Name Talk Group Intended Use

1 Fire Disp Dispatching of Calls by Communications Center

2 Z(x) Fire Cmd Command Channel, Resource Requests, In-Service Reports

3 Fire Tac 3 Fire Ground Operations







10 Fire Tac 10 Fire Ground Operations Lower Priority


12 CW Tac 12 County-Wide Interoperability TAC




16 Fire Talkrnd Fire Talkaround, Short Range Direct Communications


XTS2500 and XTL5000 “A” ZoneSelector Talk Group Name Talk Group Intended Use

1 Fire Disp Dispatching of Calls by Communications Center

2 Z(x) Fire Cmd Command Channel, Resource Requests, In-Service Reports














16 Fire Talkrnd Fire Talkaround, Short Range Direct Communications


XTS2500 and XTL5000 “B” ZoneSelector Talk Group Name Talk Group Intended Use

1 Z(x) Fire Adm Specific Fire Administration Talkgroup for Each Zone

2 CW Fire Adm County-Wide Fire Administration Talkgroup

3 D(x) PD Adm Specific Police District Administration Talkgroup

4 Police Talkrnd Police Talkaround, Short Range Direct Communications

5 EMS Disp EMS Dispatch

6 EMS Tac 2 EMS Operations



9 EMS Adm EMS Administration Talkgroup

10 EMS Talkrnd EMS Talkaround, Short Range Direct Communications

11 Future

12 Future

13 Future

14 Future

15 Future

16 Future


XTS2500 and XTL5000 “C” ZoneSelector Talk Group Name Talk Group Intended Use

1 EMA Cty Wide County-Wide EMA Talkgroup

2 EMA North EMA North Operations

3 EMS South EMA South Operations

4 EMA East EMA East Operations

5 EMA Central EMA Central Operations

6 EMA S Cent EMA South-Central Operations

7 EMA N Cent EMA North-Central Operations

8 EOC Planning EOC Planning

9 EOC Logistic EOC Logistics

10 EOC Admin EOC Administration

11 EOC Ops EOC Operations

12 EOC T/A EOC Talkaround, Short Range, Direct Communications

13 Future

14 Future

15 Future

16 Future


Standard Operating Guidelines Monitoring Calls From Other Agencies

Do Not Switch to TAC Channels You Are Not Assigned To○ Changing TAC’s Uses Resources and May

Create Busy Signals○ Accidental Mic Keys or EBA Will Interfere with

Fireground Operation


Standard Operating Guidelines Monitoring Calls From Other Agencies

If You Must Monitor Someone Else’s Call○ Place the TAC Channel You Wish to Monitor

into Your Scan Group○ This Will Allow You to Listen to the TAC

Channel Without Taking Up Valuable Resources on the System

Talking or Listening Across Zones Will Tie-up a Frequency in Each Zone○ 9 Frequencies in the West (11%)○ 6 Frequencies in the East (17%)


Standard Operating Guidelines Emergency Button Activations (EBA)

Each Radio is Equipped with an Emergency Button○ Orange Button on Top of Portable○ Red Button on Front of Mobile and Control

Station○ Used For Immediate Life-Threatening

Situations Which Require an Immediate Response


Standard Operating Guidelines Emergency Button Activations

EBA Activation is Received by Center○ Communications Center Will Attempt Voice

Contact with Unit Transmitting EBA○ If Contact is Unsuccessful

Alert Tone TransmittedAnnouncement Made on Dispatch, Command

Channel, Appropriate TAC Channel and TAC Channel EBA was Received, if Different than Assigned TAC

If Possible the Unit Transmitting the EBA Should Contact the Center- Identify Themselves, Location and Nature


Standard Operating Guidelines Emergency Button Activation

If EBA Radio is on a Specific Incident○ Incident Commander Will Be Notified○ If IC Determines EBA to be Possibly Valid

Additional Alert Tone Will be GivenAnnouncement made on Dispatch, Command Channel,

Appropriate TAC channel and TAC channel EBA was Received on, if Different Than Assigned TAC

Announcement Made to Clear the Channel EBA was onNew TAC channel Will be Assigned for IncidentIC Advised of Which TAC the EBA was Activated onRIT ActivatedAttempts Made to Communicate with EBA Radio


Standard Operating Guidelines Emergency Button Activation

Clearing an Emergency Button Activation○ If Determined to be False Activation○ If Threat is Removed and/or Under Control

Dispatcher will notify radio operator to clear the Emergency Button○ Press and hold emergency button for 2 to 5 seconds

until a steady tone is heard, then release the buttonAccidental (Trip) Activation

○ Dispatcher Will Call Your Radio○ Tell the Dispatcher it was an Accidental Activation○ Dispatcher Will Notify You to Reset

○ If You Activate the EBA, Do Not Switch TAC’s


Standard Operating Guidelines Dispatching of Drills

Request Made in WritingAt Least 24 hrs. in AdvanceList All Agencies Involved With RequestSigned by Appropriate OfficerFax to 724-600-7393Activate and Announce Only OnceShould Use Talkaround if PossibleRequest TAC if AvailablePrior Permission Needed to Use 800 System


Standard Operating Guidelines Announcements

Communications Center announcements will take place on the Fire Zone Command Talkgroup and 33.70

Weather related announcements will take place on the Zone Command Talkgroup and 33.70


Standard Operating Guidelines General Communications

Make sure the transmit button is completely depressed and the three “permit tones” are heard before talking

Hold the microphone or portable approximately 1½ to 2 inches away from your mouth and at an approximately 30 - 45 degree angle

Talk across the mic instead of directly into itTalk in a normal volume and toneDo not shout into the microphone


Standard Operating Guidelines General Communications

Make call in “To” and “From” formatBeware of open micsDo not lay the mic on the seat or in your lapKeep messages shortAvoid unnecessary wordsAvoid long-winded descriptionsDo not repeat yourselfThink about what you’ll say before

transmitting45 second time-out-timer


Standard Operating Guidelines Non-Emergency Status Reports

Out of Service○ Unit is NOT available for dispatch

In Service○ Unit is available for dispatch

Non-Emergency Status Reports may be made via radio on the respective Zone Fire Command Channel

If a unit is going to be out of service for more than a few hours, report should be made via telephone to the center



QUESTIONS?

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