Updating Radio Procedure

[FIREguy2011]

Whenever you respond with a truck, do you just say Engine so and so responding, or what do you say?
I want my dept. to start saying stuff like, Ladder One responding with a crew of _____. Would this just cause a clutter of traffic or benefit the dept?

[BoxAlarm187]

Work, we simply mark enroute.

VFD - mark enroute with our staffing. "Engine 2 enroute with 3"

[Jonnee]

WHY???


We don't say a word.


We have Mobile Data Computers, and touch the key (on screen function) for "Enroute". On Scene, In Service, In Quarters, etc.


Most communications is cut in hlaf. We do talk on a fire ground tac but very little regular traffic to the communications operator.

We try to use the MDC's as much as possible, cutting out unnecessary live talk.

[slackjawedyokel]

I would say whatever my SOGs and or chief wants you to say.

[FIREguy2011]

WHY???


We don't say a word.


We have Mobile Data Computers, and touch the key (on screen function) for "Enroute". On Scene, In Service, In Quarters, etc.


Most communications is cut in hlaf. We do talk on a fire ground tac but very little regular traffic to the communications operator.

We try to use the MDC's as much as possible, cutting out unnecessary live talk.

If only all vol. depts. had such things. Bet'cha don't have ww2 vets as your dispatcher like LaFire's dept.

[nmfire]

If only all vol. depts. had such things. Bet'cha don't have ww2 vets as your dispatcher like LaFire's dept.

You should not use anything LaFire says as an accurate portrayal of anything anywhere in the fire service.

[Jonnee]

If only all vol. depts. had such things. Bet'cha don't have ww2 vets as your dispatcher like LaFire's dept.

We do have Volunteer Departments within our structure.

No we don't have World War 2 Veterans in comminications or are there any still on the job. All have retired.

[LaFireEducator]

We don't mark with number of personnel when the truck signs on the air.

I wish we did, especially the trucks from Central as staffing can be 1 to 5 as daytime there are 4 paid staff plus vollie rideouts and evening there is only 1 paid member plus ride-outs.

The trucks from the volunteer stations are almost always driver-only as we are a POV response to the scene based fire department.

My previous VFD did.

Firefighters would be counted seperate from juniors and exterior personnel so everyone had an idea of number of interior members.

"Engine 1 responding 3 plus 1". The junior or exterior members would be the "plus".

[Ashburn_2011]

Whenever you respond with a truck, do you just say Engine so and so responding, or what do you say?
I want my dept. to start saying stuff like, Ladder One responding with a crew of _____. Would this just cause a clutter of traffic or benefit the dept?

As far as i know, it really shouldn matter to dispatchers how many people are responding, if you need more manpower, call for mutual aid. Many in our dept say they are en route to the hall just to let dispatchers know that tones were acknowledged and firefighters are en route. When we get to the trucks, we just say Whitwell Engine 50/51 is 10-8 (En Route)

[BoxAlarm187]

As far as i know, it really shouldn matter to dispatchers how many people are responding, if you need more manpower, call for mutual aid. Many in our dept say they are en route to the hall just to let dispatchers know that tones were acknowledged and firefighters are en route. When we get to the trucks, we just say Whitwell Engine 50/51 is 10-8 (En Route)

It's not for the dispatchers per se, its for the field personnel to know how many personnel are enroute on each vehicle. There are a lot of departments that don't issue every member a radio, so it's much more beneficial to mark enroute with your staffing.

[FFEMT2159]

We use live talk. _____ Dispatch- Engine 3 is in route with 4 firefighters. Ambulance 1 is in route with 3 EMTs, etc.... It lets our mutual aid companies know our staffing levels for that call while they are responding. It also lets our members still responding know if they need to grab another unit or if they are going to respond POV to scene to fill out staffing on the unit that is alrady in route.

[ChiefKN]

Whenever you respond with a truck, do you just say Engine so and so responding, or what do you say?
I want my dept. to start saying stuff like, Ladder One responding with a crew of _____. Would this just cause a clutter of traffic or benefit the dept?

We say, "Engine 59 responding". We don't call dispatch first, we don't mention the crew size (unless its understaffed) and we don't repeat if not acknowledged (we don't expect dispatch to answer).

The exception would be if you are the first unit to sign on. Then you are expected to hail dispatch and then give your message and get acknowledged.

"Engine 59 to dispatch....." reply "Engine 59 responding". acknowledged.

[BoxAlarm187]

we don't repeat if not acknowledged (we don't expect dispatch to answer).

Um, you don't want the dispatcher to acknowledge that they know you're enroute??

[ChiefKN]

Um, you don't want the dispatcher to acknowledge that they know you're enroute??

I just updated my post. Only if you are first on the air.

We discovered that our police dispatchers didn't care and were too busy to answer every apparatus, ambulance, chief, etc signing on.

Sad but true.

[BoxAlarm187]

We discovered that our police dispatchers didn't care and were too busy to answer every apparatus, ambulance, chief, etc signing on.

Wow, that's a shame, I hope it doesn't one day lead to problems for accountability on the part of the PSAP.