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TRAINING BULLETIN TOPIC:
Communications Systems
EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/06 DOC NO: CROSS REF: COM036 – Tactical Channel Use
TB207
INTRODUCTION The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District has a sophisticated communications system, using modern radio equipment. INFORMATION Glossary of Terms: Repeater
A device, usually located on a hilltop or high ground, which receives and simultaneously re-broadcasts a radio signal to greatly increase range.
Extender
A vehicle-mounted unit to allow a portable radio to access the vehicle's mobile radio.
PL Tone
A sub-audible tone used in radio equipment to prevent unwanted signals from being heard. Expressed in either a frequency. e.g. 162.2, or designator 5B. (NOTE: For helicopter radios, it is tone 132 for 5B)
Air Attack
Airborne Supervisor, acts as fire air operations director and fire air traffic controller.
High Band (VHF)
Range of frequencies (147-172 MHz). Usually has an antenna approximately 18 inches long. Slightly better building penetration than Low Band; however, much more line-of-sight regarding range.
UHF
Range of frequencies (450-487 MHz). Usually has short antenna, 4-5 inches. Very good building penetration, very line-of-sight.
Radio System: The District’s primary radio system is a High Band (VHF) simulcast (all repeaters transmit at once) repeater system, with repeater sites at Highland Peak (above Tassajara), Bald Peak (above the Caldecott Tunnel), Rocky Ridge (North End of Bollinger Canyon) and Kregor Peak (top of Kirker Pass). These locations provide coverage throughout the Fire District and the surrounding areas. In addition, there is a backup repeater at the summit of Mt. Diablo (labeled SRV Emergency). AUTHOR: Chris Suter, Deputy Chief REVIEWED: Michael Sylvia, Assistant Chief APPROVED: Craig Bowen, Fire Chief ORIGIN DATE: 5/95
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REVISED DATE:
1/03, 4/06
TRAINING BULLETIN TOPIC:
Communications Systems
EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/06 DOC NO: CROSS REF: COM036 – Tactical Channel Use
TB207
These sites have been "hardened" against earthquake and power loss, providing a system with a high degree of reliability. The District also has several UHF Tactical Channels. Tac22 basically has District-wide coverage, with a repeater on Mt. Diablo and one on Highland Peak. Tac23 is located on Sydney Drive in Walnut Creek and covers the valley south, to about Sycamore Valley Road. Tac24 is at Highland Peak and covers the remainder of the valley, north to about El Cerro. Tac25, Tac26 and Tac27 are fireground local channels, with short range.
Communications Center: The heart of the Communications Center is a Motorola Centra-Comm Gold Elite radio console. There are four identical positions with many advanced features, such as the ability to perform phone patches or radio channel-to-radio channel patches. All the console functions are operated by a central processor called Central Electronics Bank (CEB), which has a high degree of redundancy; following a component failure, it switches that function to another segment of the CEB and alerts the Dispatchers that a failure has occurred. The Communications Center can transmit on Channel 2 repeated Low Band, SRM South, Con Central, Con West, Con East, XCC Command, OES 1, CDF Santa Clara Local, SRVUSD, CCSO P2, P21, (VHF), Tac22, Tac23, Tac24 (UHF), ALCO 800, Danville Public Works 800. All phone and radio traffic in the Communications Center is recorded on a 24-hour basis, using a digital logging recorder. The recordings are initially made to a hard disk and every few seconds appended to a tape. The hard disk traffic is stored online for about 6 months, and the tapes are retained indefinitely. The Communications Center is protected from power loss by a 16KVA uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and an emergency generator. The Center will operate on the UPS alone for approximately two hours, with no other power source and no loss of capability. All equipment in the Center operates through this device, providing "clean" steady power with no spikes or fluctuations. Emergency power on a long term basis is provided by a 100KW automatic starting, automatic transfer, natural gas, generator with 72 hours of backup propane stored on site. To provide another level of power redundancy, the Communications Center can be powered by the District's Breathing Support unit, utilizing its on-board 50KW generator. The Communications Center has four 911 dedicated trunks, multiple seven-digit phone lines, a microwave tactical phone, a ring down to Chevron Security and a ring down to AT&T Security. All positions have Automatic Location Identification and Automatic Number Identification, with the ability to transfer the calls to another Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or other Communications Centers. AUTHOR: Chris Suter, Deputy Chief REVIEWED: Michael Sylvia, Assistant Chief APPROVED: Craig Bowen, Fire Chief ORIGIN DATE: 5/95
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REVISED DATE:
1/03, 4/06
TRAINING BULLETIN TOPIC:
Communications Systems
EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/06 DOC NO: CROSS REF: COM036 – Tactical Channel Use
TB207
Fire Stations: Each station has a VHF and a UHF radio. This allows each station to operate independently, if necessary. Mobile Radios: The fire apparatus, engines, trucks, patrols and other units all have 256-channel VHF/UHF combination radios, Kenwood TK 790/890. (For usage information, refer to PowerPoint presentation titled Kenwood Radio Instructions.) All channels available in SRVF Radios are listed in the California Fire Radio Systems Directory that should be in every engine, truck and ambulance. The Directory has a listing for the Kenwood Radios by: 1. Order, in the radio shown by group 2. By description, alphabetical by display name 3. By frequency, numerical in ascending order It also has a listing for the King Radios by Group. If a replacement guide is needed, contact the Senior Office Assistant assigned to the Assistant Chiefs. Portable Radios: Every field employee of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District is issued his/her own Motorola HT 1250 portable radio, two batteries, a microphone and personal charger. (For usage information, refer to PowerPoint presentation titled Portable Motorola HT1250 Radios.) SRV Emergency: The radio system that is used daily requires power at Station 31 and the County owned Microwave System to be functional. In the event that any one of these elements is missing, the system is completely inoperative. At the summit of Mount Diablo is a stand alone repeater operating on batteries that can take over District wide communications. This radio will not provide the same level of communication in the canyons and in some other areas, but it does cover most of the AUTHOR: Chris Suter, Deputy Chief REVIEWED: Michael Sylvia, Assistant Chief APPROVED: Craig Bowen, Fire Chief ORIGIN DATE: 5/95
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REVISED DATE:
1/03, 4/06
TRAINING BULLETIN TOPIC:
Communications Systems
EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/06 DOC NO: CROSS REF: COM036 – Tactical Channel Use
TB207
District fairly well. Unfortunately, the District shares the South Channel with the Mariposa County Sheriff, and the Mt. Diablo site causes them a great deal of interference. However, in a crisis it can be used. To use the SRV Emergency Channel, switch the Channel selector to SRV EMERG on the mobile radio. You will be able to hear South traffic on the SRM South channel, even if the primary system is down and the emergency system is being used, but unless you switch the selector to SRV EMERG, you will not be able to talk to the Communications Center or other units. The Communications Center can select the SRV Emergency Channel on their radio consoles by selecting the pulldown menu located on any “Disp VHF Base” located on the secondary page. R.A.C.E.S.: R.A.C.E.S. is a volunteer amateur radio operator organization specializing in providing auxiliary communications during emergencies. This District has a permanently installed R.A.C.E.S. communications center with several operating radio bands available to them. They can provide the means to assist our employees in determining the status of their families and property following a major incident, if conventional means such as the public telephone system has failed or is unusable. Utilization: The communications system is utilized in any number of different ways, depending on the nature and extent of the incident. The following are some examples: A.
STRUCTURE FIRE: The first arriving vehicle turns on the extender (RPT Button). TAC Channel and Incident Command name will be provided by the Dispatcher enroute. (Also see Tactical Channel Use.) All subsequent arriving units should have their portable radios on the assigned TAC Channel, leaving their extender OFF.
B.
VEGETATION FIRES: The first arriving vehicle turns on the extender (RPT Button). TAC Channel and Incident Command name will be provided by the Dispatcher enroute. (Also see Tactical Channel Use.) All subsequent arriving units should have their portable radios on the assigned TAC Channel, leaving their extender OFF.
C.
MEDICAL INCIDENTS: The first arriving vehicle turns on the extender (RPT Button), a TAC channel will normally not be assigned to this incident type, unless it is a large incident or it is extended for some reason.
AUTHOR: Chris Suter, Deputy Chief REVIEWED: Michael Sylvia, Assistant Chief APPROVED: Craig Bowen, Fire Chief ORIGIN DATE: 5/95
Page 4 of 5
REVISED DATE:
1/03, 4/06
TRAINING BULLETIN TOPIC:
Communications Systems
EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/06 DOC NO: CROSS REF: COM036 – Tactical Channel Use
TB207
NOTE: At NO time should a vehicle be driven enroute to or returning from an incident or on detail with the extender on. It is possible to hinder or completely remove effective communications from an incident some distance away. Air Operations: A.
MEDICAL HELICOPTERS: Most Medical Helicopters have radios capable of most frequencies we use. CALSTAR and REACH have them preprogrammed in the helicopter. Typically, they will stay on South until they have visual contact with the incident and then switch to CALCORD for landing coordination.
B.
CDF AIR OPERATIONS: CDF Helicopters can also communicate on many channels; however, they are restricted to High Band. They will use any assigned TAC in the VHF band.
AUTHOR: Chris Suter, Deputy Chief REVIEWED: Michael Sylvia, Assistant Chief APPROVED: Craig Bowen, Fire Chief ORIGIN DATE: 5/95
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1/03, 4/06
