Communication's on the fireground...

[Salman1]

I know, not this thread again. I'm just soliciting input and experiences with what YOUR particular dept. uses/does. Large or small, they will all be somewhat different. Recently, a guideline has been distributed that will have us acknowledge the run on our main channel or channel one (repeater). When we arrive on scene we can give a sizeup on that same channel on the rig(mobile) or with our portables on the same channels. Administration wants us to use channel 3 for fireground ops. (non-repeater, talk around) Similar to FDNY's handie talkies of years past. Not as formal. B/C will monitor channel 1 and channel 3. Administrative use will be on channel 2 (repeater). This is to be used when operation's are completing or it's a larger scale incident to notify fire marshal office, call back's etc. No, this is not the best way, but what were are supposed to be using now. I know there are much better ways out there. I'm just curious (hoping to hear better methods so we can suggest them)how you do it in your particular department's. Just throwing it out there...I haven't given you many particulars because each dept. is obvious different...Incidentally, that orange "man down" button on our mic's and the radio that we're supposed to be able to activate with wet, gloved hands in a smokey hot environment, is monitored by the B/C and Fire Alarm when activated. The remainder of the crews operating, unless on channel 1 or nearby someone that is, will not hear it if a mayday isn't sent...

[SWLAFireDawg]

We typically stay on dispatch, which is monitored by 911 and recorded. If we want to say something off the record we swith to the talk around. If we take on mutual aid, we go to ITAC, but 911 monitors that too. But it does have a talk around.

[Eng34FF]

We acknowledge the call and provide our unit and manning on the main channel. Dispatch the assigns a "Tac" channel for operations. We have 3 tac channels, tac-3 is usually reserved for medical calls. The main channel and the tac channels are monitored by dispatch. Once we are given the tac channel, all fireground communications are done on that channel. The dispatcher will usually repeat the initial size-up on the main channel so that people with pagers only can hear what is going on.

[doughesson]

After everyone ties up the radio announcing that they are responding to the station,SOP is that we go to the talkaround channel.On the fireground,it's supposed to be that the company officer is supposed to be the only one talking to IC but with everyone having a two way,that sometimes doesn't always be the case.
We don't sound like a bunch of truckers talking about Smokey but there is a lot of traffic from the hydrant guy to the engine,from traffic about people wanting by and needing SO support,the interior crews needing water and ventilation,etc.
We do try to keep it to the minimum,though.There's no need to give out any information that doesn't need to be released to an alert newsie standing by someone with a radio cranked up to full war emergency power on the volume.

[Firespecialist]

We have a primary channel on what we get paged, scene size-ups, communications with dispatch, etc. Our policy states that only officers and apparatus are to announce they are responding (unless it is a second page, then anyone with a radio can respond on the radio) to keep the traffic to a minimum. Too keep traffic to an even more minimum, after a few responses on the radio, there is no need for other people to respond on the radio. All calls are to stay on the primary channel, unless instructed to go to our tactical channel (channel 3). We use that channel on all working structure fires, large calls, and the likes. For medical calls there is no reason to go to channel 3 because you are pretty much face to face with the other firefighters. Now if we are on a working structure fire, we have a channel just for water supply that talks to the water supply officer. He then communicates with command on the tactical channel. This works to keep from confusing traffic for the working crews.

[whitesox4life]

All of our trucks and the base are to mark e/r or on air on dispatch and then usually stay on that channel unless I/C advises otherwise. On runs for only our dept. we go to our tactical channel. Runs with other depts in area we use mutual aid. Mutual aid is also used when medivac is approaching and needs patient information on a mva.