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Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service December 2015

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Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service December 2015 U.S. Fire Administration Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service December 2015 U.S. Fire Administration Mission Statement We provide National leadership to foster a solid foundation for our fi re and emergency services stakeholders in prevention, preparedness, and response. This page intentionally left blank. Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service i International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, CLC Dear Members, Radio technology has continued to change since this guide was first published in 2008. What has not changed is the need for every firefighter to be able to effectively communicate on the emergency scene. This edition contains a great deal of information on changes to our national radio infrastructure, such as changes in communities that use the T-Band and the inception and progress of First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). Firefighting is a unique occupation, and the demands that firefighters place on their communications equipment is like no other occupation. Today, it is expected that every firefighter in the hazard zone will be equipped with a radio. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has continually made it a priority to ensure that everyone goes home safe at the end of each shift. Because radios are one of the most important pieces of safety equipment, we expect that any new communications system will be effective, safe, reliable and simple to use. I urge every IAFF affiliate to be involved early on in the process of developing a new radio communication system in his or her jurisdiction to make sure that the funding, staffing, training, testing, troubleshooting and implementation meet the standards and requirements for firefighters to respond safely and effectively. This manual has been updated to help affiliate leaders and members understand new communication and radio system issues in order to remain informed players in the process. An effective communications system requires proper planning at the front end in order to prevent problems later, and there is no one better to participate in the process than firefighters. Stay safe, Harold A. Schaitberger IAFF General President Voice Radio Communications Guide ii for the Fire Service This page intentionally left blank. Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service iii Acknowledgment The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is committed to using all means possible for reducing the incidence of injuries and deaths to firefighters. One of these means is to partner with organizations that share this same admirable goal. One such organization is the IAFF. As a labor union, the IAFF has been deeply committed to improving the safety of its members and all firefighters as a whole. This is why the USFA was pleased to work with the IAFF through a partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate, First Responders Group, Office for Interoperability and Compatibility to develop this second edition of the “Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service.” The USFA gratefully acknowledges the following leaders of the IAFF for their willingness to partner on this project: General President Harold Schaitberger General Secretary-Treasurer Thomas Miller Assistant to the General President Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine Patrick Morrison International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, CLC Division of Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine 1750 New York Ave., NW Washington, DC 20006 202-737-8484 www.iaff.org The IAFF also would like to thank Robert Athanas, Firefighter, Fire Department City of New York; Todd Bianchi, Captain, District of Columbia Fire Department; Jim Brinkley, IAFF Director of Occupational Health and Safety; Joseph Brooks, Radio Supervisor, Boston Fire Department; Thomas Chirhart, DHS; Billy Freeman, Lieutenant, Memphis Fire Department; Missy Hannan, Graphic Artist, International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA)/Fire Protection Publications, Oklahoma State University; Ron Jeffers, Union City, New Jersey; Christopher Lombard, Captain, Seattle Fire Department; Andy MacFarlane, Phoenix, Arizona; Kevin Roche, FACETS Consulting; Wes Rogers, Lieutenant, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department; William Troup, USFA; Mike Wieder, Associate Director, IFSTA/Fire Protection Publications, Oklahoma State University; Cody Worrell, Firefighter, Phoenix Fire Department; and Mike Worrell, Battalion Chief, Phoenix Fire Department, for their efforts in developing this report. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not endorse, approve, certify or recommend any contractors, individuals, firms or products. Contractors, individuals or firms shall not claim they or their products are “FEMA approved” or “FEMA certified.” Voice Radio Communications Guide iv for the Fire Service This page intentionally left blank. Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service v Table of Contents Acknowledgment ..................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... v Section 1 — Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Why the Fire Service is Different ........................................................................................................ 1 Summary — Fire Service Environment ............................................................................................... 2 Section 2 — Basic Radio Communication Technology .......................................................................... 5 Radio Spectrum ................................................................................................................................... 5 Wavelength ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Channel Bandwidth ............................................................................................................................ 7 Radio Wave Propagation...................................................................................................................... 8 Interference ......................................................................................................................................... 9 What Affects System Coverage? ........................................................................................................... 10 Fixed-Site Antennas ............................................................................................................................. 11 Downtilt .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Portable Radio Position ....................................................................................................................... 13 Mobile and Portable Antennas ............................................................................................................. 14 Summary — Basic Radio Communication Technology ....................................................................... 15 Section 3 — Digital and Analog Radio ................................................................................................... 17 Analog Radios ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Digital Radios ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Digital Audio Processing ..................................................................................................................... 19 Analog and Digital Comparisons ........................................................................................................ 19 Program 25 History ............................................................................................................................ 21 Program 25 Interoperability ................................................................................................................ 21 Program 25 Characteristics in High-Noise Environments.................................................................... 21 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Mask Effect on Communications ................................................ 22 Program 25 Digital for Firefighting ..................................................................................................... 22 Summary — Digital and Analog Radio ............................................................................................... 23 Section 4 — Conventional Radio Systems .............................................................................................. 25 Direct and Repeated Radio Systems ..................................................................................................... 25 Direct/Simplex Communications on the Fireground ........................................................................... 25 Receiver Voters — Improve Field Unit to Dispatcher Communications ..............................................
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