Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer — Lesson 18

1. Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer — Lesson 18 Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer, 4th Edition Chapter 18 —Incident Scene Communications

2. Learning Objectives • Recall information about interoperability. • Select facts about various types of communications equipment. • Identify correct radio communications procedures. • Select fasts about the five Cs of radio communication. Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

3. Interoperability • Ability of a system to work with and use the parts or equipment of another system • Requirement of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) • Means radio equipment and frequencies must be compatible within the organization and between agencies • Helps enable coordinated, disciplined responses Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

4. Interoperability Problems • Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing, 1995 • World Trade Center attack, 2001 • Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

5. Interoperable Radio Frequencies • Currently no radios handle entire range of public safety frequencies • FCC mandates • APCO International Project 25 • Nationwide multiagency channels Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

6. Analog vs. Digital Communications • Analog: Base carrier’s alternating current frequency is modified by: • Amplifying strength of signal • Varying frequency • Digital • Generates, stores, and processes data as positive and non-positive • Data expressed as a string of 0’s and 1’s Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

7. Communications Equipment: Radios • Provide instantaneous communication • Advantages • Communications center • Focal point for emergency scene communication • Computer-aided-dispatch system (CAD) • Radio frequencies (Continued) Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

8. Communications Equipment: Radios • Base radios • Mobile radios • Portable radios Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

9. Communications Equipment: Pagers • Used to summon personnel to station or incident scene • Wide variety of types and sizes • Activation • Modes • May monitor dispatch frequency at all times (Continued) Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

10. Communications Equipment: Pagers Note: Broadcasting emergency evacuation messages to all personnel over dispatch frequency and emergency scene frequency may enable responders who do not have portable radios to hear the command over their pagers. Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

11. Communications Equipment: Citizens Band (CB) Radios • Used primarily by small, rural jurisdictions • Advantages • Disadvantages Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

12. Communications Equipment: Amateur Radios • Extensive radio communications network of ham operators • Volunteers often available • Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

13. Communications Equipment: Land-Based Telephones • Sometimes used on large-scale incidents, high-rise incidents, shipboard and other confined space incidents • Effective alternative to tying up radio frequencies for lengthy routine messages • Usually used when base of incident command post is in permanent structure that has phone service • May be used when temporary telephone service is set up at incident command post Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

14. Communications Equipment: Cellular Telephones • Advantages • Disadvantage • Personal digital assistant (PDA) Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

15. Communications Equipment: Satellite Telephones • Can be assembled for large-scale incidents • Are independent of land-based and cellular systems • Are reliable and free of limitations and interference Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

16. Communications Equipment: Fax Machines • May operate over land-based or cellular telephone systems • Useful for transmitting and receiving written documents • One or more machines at incident command post at major emergency scenes Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

17. Communications Equipment: Computer Communications • Computer modems • Broadband connections Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

18. Communications Equipment: Advanced Technology Systems • Mobile data terminal (MDT) • Mobile data computer (MDC) • Geographic information system (GIS) • Global positioning system (GPS) Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

19. Communications Procedures • Standard operating procedures defined by organization’s communications management policy • Two purposes • Establish use of specific common terms (clear text) • Establish system of transmitting periodic progress reports to keep all units current Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

20. Radio Communications Procedures • Allow field units to communicate with each other, communications center, and chain of command • Task-related information or direct order • Never transmit: • Message that might reflect badly on organization • Confidential information Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

21. Basic Radio Communications • Company officer’s responsibilities • Crews’ radio discipline and conduct • Organization’s radio procedures • Equipment's limitations and alternative methods CAUTION! Be sure that all personnel know the correct frequency to use for each function. Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

22. Transmitting Essential Information • Avoid clear text’s temptation to ramble when transmitting. • “Hey you, it’s me” method • Company officer identifies unit being called and then identifies the calling unit. • Other unit acknowledges. • Company officer transmits message. Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

23. Five Cs of Communication • Conciseness • Clarity • Confidence • Control • Capability Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

24. Summary • Effective communication is essential to operational effectiveness and safety. • Company officers play pivotal role in communications at incidents. • Transmitting and receiving most communications • Setting an example: • Know how to use available communications equipment. • Practice good communication techniques during both emergency and nonemergency activities. Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer

25. Discussion Questions • Recount an instance from your experience when effective communications played a vital role in mitigating an incident. What helped to make communications especially effective at this incident? • Recount an instance from your experience when ineffective communications hindered mitigation of an incident. What would you do to avoid similar problems at future incidents? Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer