D-42

Philadelphia Fire Department Communications Policy

• Provides and insures accurate and rapid information exchange between the Fire Communications Center, field units, staff units, and between units themselves.
• All done in accordance with Federal Communications Commission regulations.
• Includes all PFD communication components.
• Unofficial use, profanity, or tampering of systems result in immediate dismissal.

PFD Communication System Components

• The PFD communication system utilizes an 800 MHz radio system, mobile data terminals, and CAD watch desk communications equipment.

800 MHz Radio System

• It is a city-wide trunked radio system used by city agencies.
• Includes an "A" system for the Fire Department and other city agencies, and a "B" system for the Police.

Fire/EMS Mobile Radios

• Radios are permanently mounted in vehicles.

Fire/EMS Portable Radios

• Motorola hand-held radios are used for portable communications.

Mobiles in a Tray

• Mobile radios and a power supply placed in a tray mount.
• Placed: station watch desks, chief officer's quarters, and staff offices.

Public Address System

• A landline voice-amplified system is located at all fire stations' watch desk areas.
• Synchronized with the 800 MHz radio system for simulcast dispatch over both.

Miscellaneous Portable Communication Devices

• Blackberries, cell phones, and pagers are included.

Talk Group

• A specific radio group assigned to 800 MHz radios.
• Examples: North Fire, South Fire, North Tac1, North Medic etc.

Radio Template

• A "roadmap" describing which talk groups are assigned to a radio.
• The PFD has the Command Template and Special Template.

Encryption

• Radio encryption is utilized for confidential and coded transmissions within the 800 MHz radio system.
• All tactical talkgroups except North Fire, South Fire, North Medic, South Medic, and all City talkgroups are encrypted.

Emergency Button Activation

• A safety function of the Philadelphia Fire Department 800 MHz system.
• Radios are equipped with an emergency button to alert the FCC if the user is in danger.

Emergency Evacuation Tone

• A Hi-Lo warble tone can be transmitted over the PFD talk groups during an immediate evacuation order.

Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Components

PFD CAD System

• It is a proprietary dispatch computer system on the Northrop Grumman Integrity Cad Platform.
• The system uses a Geo File based on city street centerline files for verification.
• Customized by FCC personnel with dispatch recommendations based on PFD procedures/directives.

CAD Watch Desk Components

• Each firehouse watch desk includes a dedicated PC and printer
• Connected to CAD via an EVDO air card.
• Receives dispatch notifications and messages from the FCC.

Mobile Data Terminals (MDT's)

• Ruggedized Toughbook laptops installed in PFD vehicles, connected to CAD via EVDO.
• Medics/officers receive dispatch notifications and update unit status without radios.

FCC Notification Tools/Components

H.A.S.T.E Radio (Hospital Alerting System Tone Encoded)

• An FCC radio console resource.
• Used to notify hospital emergency departments of the number and status of incoming patients.

R.S.A.N. (Roam Secure Alert Network)

• An internet-based notification system, allows the Fire Department, Police, and Office of Emergency Management to issue notifications to personnel.
• It can send mass notifications to email, cell phones, and pagers.
• The Fire Department notifies command personnel of fire activity, multiple alarm fires, etc.

F.R.E.D. (Facilities Resources Emergency Database)

• An internet application facilitating gathering/disseminating critical information during major incidents and mass casualty events.
• Supports real-time collection of information about available hospital beds and vital resources during emergencies.

PFD Communications Interoperability

Radio Interoperability

• Establishes communications with other departments/jurisdictions on local, state, and federal levels.
• Utilizes mobile and portable radios, some interoperability plans include sharing radios.

SECOM NET

• An interoperability solution by the Southeast Region Task Force.
• Communication center can talk to other counties.

Non-Municipal Ambulance Radio

• A VHF radio located in the FCC near Medic Band radio consoles.
• PFD can communicate with non-municipal ambulance units during mass casualty incidents.
• The FCC can patch this radio into a PFD talk group for interoperability.

PA Health Department Radio

• Part of Pennsylvania's 800 MHz system; allows the FCC to speak directly to hospital emergency departments in the Philadelphia region.
• Primarily used for mass casualty incidents or Chempack Plan activations.

Radio Message Classifications

Routine

• Designates normal day-to-day transmissions.

Priority

• A classification to get precedence over routine messages, preceded by "priority."

Urgent

• A classification to interrupt and clear radio traffic for situations needing immediate assistance, preceded by "urgent."

MayDay

• Radio transmission "MAYDAY - MAYDAY" is reserved for reporting a member who is in distress, lost, trapped, out of air/down, has an imminent//occurred collapse, or any circumstance that can seriously injure/kill the firefighter (See O.P. #38, Rapid Intervention Team)

Response Speeds

Emergency Speed

• Response speed with all warning devices and in compliance with Directive #26.

Proceed In and Standby

• Proceed to assignment at emergency speed, engine companies obtain a hydrant and flush it (weather allowing), crew remains with the apparatus and await further orders.
• Ladder companies respond to assigned positions and stand by for further orders.
• Incident Command notifies the FCC when additional companies beyond the first Engine and Ladder go into service.

Reduced Speed

• All warning devices for companies will be turned off.
• Companies will proceed to their proper location, obeying all traffic regulations.
• Engine companies will obtain a hydrant and flush it (weather permitting); ladder companies will stand by.
• Personnel remain with their apparatus and await further orders.

Standby

• All warning devices will be turned off and companies will pull over the side of the road and stop, awaiting further orders via radio.
• During "Proceed In and Standby," "Reduced Speed," and "Standby" responses, officers should be aware units are available for dispatch to other locations unless in service. The FCC can use these companies for dispatches near the initial assignment unless returned by Incident Commander, otherwise, additional units are dispatched.

Code of Response

Silent Alarm

• No warning devices during the last 3 blocks unless fire or smoke is visible.
• The FCC is notified, emergency speed is resumed.
• The FCC will order address and emergency response speed for other companies responding.

Local Alarm

• Dictated response below a Tactical/Box alarm, is made at emergency
• Examples include alarm system, fumes, rubbish, accident and automobile responses.

Tactical Box

• A response of multiple unit as per Directive #39
• Includes 2 Engines, 2 Ladders, and 1 Battalion Chief.

Box Alarm

• A response of multiple unit as per Directive #39
• Includes 4 Engines, 2 Ladders, and 2 Battalion Chiefs.

Investigation

• A reduced speeds single unit response as per Directive #39.

Limited Response

• Units dispatched to a school/prison facility to investigate a fire extinguished by facility personnel and respond at reduced speed.

Silent Alarm Assist Police / Hazmat Limited Response

• HMTF dispatched to addresses with prior intelligence, a reduced speed response primarily.
• The HMTF can use emergency speed if conditions warrant.

Terminology

Incident Command System (ICS)

• A management tool providing command continuity from the first company's arrival to the incident's conclusion.
• PFD uses the ICS and communicates using O.P. #19 procedures and terminology.

Incident Commander (IC) or “Command”

• Person in charge of the emergency/planned event, responsible for command functions.
• Responsibility shifts with command transfers.

Officer

• Term to indicate the sending radio message of the person identity that is an Officer/Acting Officer-in charge.
• Example, “E16 Officer”, "L4 Officer", etc.

Phonetic Alphabet

• Used by FCC personnel to avoid confusion when speaking announcement about street names/numbers with similar-sounding letters.

Radio System

800 MHz Radio System “A”

• Philadelphia Fire Department's designed digital trunked radio system designed to function within the city boundaries.

South Fire / South Medic Talkgroups

• South of Lehigh Avenue from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River, West of the Schuylkill River, and South of City Avenue.
• Located in the South Fire Talkgroup area: Engine 2, Engine 3, Engine 5, Engine 10, Engine 11, Engine 13, Engine 16, Engine 20, Engine 24, Engine 27, Engine 29, Engine 34, Engine 40, Engine 41, Engine 43, Engine 44, Engine 45, Engine 47, Engine 49, Engine 53, Engine 54, Engine 57, Engine 60, Engine 68, Engine 69, Engine 78, Ladder 2, Ladder 5, Ladder 16, Marine-1, Marine-2.

North Fire / North Medic Talkgroups

• Area North of Lehigh Avenue from the Delaware River to Schuylkill River.
• The North Band area includes both sides of Lehigh Avenue. Located in the North Band area: Engine 7, Engine 9, Engine 12, Engine 18, Engine 19, Engine 22, Engine 25, Engine 28, Engine 33, Engine 35, Engine 36, Engine 37, Engine 38, Engine 46, Engine 50, Engine 51, Engine 52, Engine 55, Engine 56, Engine 58, Engine 59, Engine 61, Engine 62, Engine 63, Engine 64, Engine 66, Engine 70, Engine 71, Engine 72, Engine 73, Ladder 15, Ladder 30.

Responsibilities

• Each member is to exercise appropriate control based on rank in implementing this directive.

General Information

Operating Instructions - FCC Dispatch

• Dispatchers are responsible for assigning Tac-Talkgroups, air discipline, clearing radio traffic fast, determining radio priority.
• Message priority, is determined by dispatchers, shall be deemed final.
• The primary dispatch method is voice transmissions over the PA System and the appropriate 800 MHz talkgroup(s).
• Station CAD systems and apparatus MDT's are used with voice transmissions for assignment receipt.
• Cover-Up assignments are NOT received on station CAD or apparatus MDT.
• The FCC transmits an alert tone before dispatch, 3 seconds for local and medic, 6 seconds for tactical box or box.
• The FCC's loss of ability to precede dispatches with tones is due to console/radio issues.
• All dispatches are transmitted twice on the PA system and the proper 800 MHz talkgroup(s).
• Dispatches to station CAD monitors and apparatus MDT unit will be received once from the FCC.

FCC Console Configurations for Simulcasting Dispatches

• FIRE DISPATCH:

  • North Fire is PA, North Fire Talkgroup
  • South Fire is PA, South Fire Talkgroup
  • North/South Fire Line is PA, North Fire, South Fire Talkgroups
  • Deputy Chief dispatch is PA, North Fire, South Fire Talkgroups
  • All Multiple Alarm Fires is PA, North Fire, South Fire, North Medic, South Medic

• MEDIC DISPATCH:

  • North Fire Area is PA, North Fire, North Medic, South Medic
  • South Fire Area is PA, South Fire, North Medic, South Medic
  • North/South Fire Line is PA, North Fire, South Fire, North Medic, South Medic
  • NOTE: Units special called/dispatched post-original box assignment must customize the configuration based on the talkgroups the units normally work on. An example case is Squad 47 and M7 dispatched to a North Fire Talkgroup
  • The working fire following simulcast configuration would be PA, North Fire, South Fire, North Medic and South Medic talkgroups.

• Dispatchers will transmit incident address/location/floor (if known), pertinent information, and companies' response position. Dispatchers will also announce the fire and Tac-channel (talkgroups) for the incident.

Announcement of local or individual dispatches:

• A dispatcher will select the proper console configuration from section 4.1.6.
• The dispatch will be formatted as: Alert Tone, "Attention," unit number(s), location and the incident nature, and finally the talk group for that the unit operation. Example: Alert Tone, Attention: Engine 7, Ladder 10, Battalion 10, Medic 2,2000 E. Venango Street Fumes.
• All EMS dispatches follow the above except that assignment nature is relayed to the responding unit upon receipt acknowledgment.

Fire Box alarm Transmission Format

• The dispatcher will select the proper console configuration from section 4.1.6.
• The alert tone will announce the box number, box location, location and incident type and radio talk groups for those units. Also, the dispatcher will announce the individual companies that will respond.
• Example: the alert tone states: Box 1334: 3rd and Spring Garden Streets. Fire reported at 513 North 3rd Street, a building. The units that will respond which will operate in the South Fire and South Tac 1 are Engines 29, 13, and 11, Pipeline 20, Snorkel 2 , Ladder 23, and Battalions 4 and 3, and Rescue 1. Cover-ups and Deputy Chief responses are announced on the PA system and on the North and South fire talk groups. Cover-up assignments will never be dispatched to station CAD printers/ MDT's.

Operating Instructions – Acknowledgment/ Field

FCC Verification and Dispatch

• PFD Units verifiy all given FCC dispatches.
• For units which do not verifiy dispatches in one minute, the FCC will contact them via radio as well as call them to find out what about the alarm is. If a delayed response occurs it is provided directly to a chief officer.

Response Verification

Dispatchers make sure that each unit does verify the accurate address of response.

Availability on Radio:

• All PFD Units that are Available are required to verbally confirm receipt of the dispatch. If the alarm is sent out in as the form or a Tactical or Box type, the FCC will remind them of their spot in the assignment.

• Unless told to act another way by the Incident Commander, ground troop locations will be set base on the the Box position. In this case:

  • 1st & 3rd Due Engine to the Front, 2nd & 4th Due Engine to the Rear
  • 1st Due Ladder to the Front, 2nd Due Ladder to the Rear
  • 1st Due BC to the Front, 2nd Due BC to the Rear Engines use radios to confirm the arrival their units when they are responding from the exact same station. Only units that happen to engage in dispatch from any type of given station confirm the dispatch and all arrivals sent on scene to CAD, by way of the units MDT.

Procedure for units delayed during Responses

• For every single reason notify the dispatch immediately.

Radio Transmissions Procedure

Careful directs focus towards the radio while sending communications during a radio to verify any orders associated with some type of alarm while on the way. In the event that unit is giving a detailed record from any type of given fireground, the dispatcher will not require a Chief Officer to send their own Acknowledge receipt. In the event that Chief Officer the Chief do, dispatch records the report from the specific organization to the Chief Offier. In order for commands to be correctly sent from the fireground over to the other units do recognize the receipt of those requests.

If possible the following shall apply

• The fireground communications will be implemented by a chief officer or the the exact designated location. In the event an issue in unit/ unit communications occur the following will take place by way of radio: Engine 45 Office states to Engine 45 DPOP, give me the water, shut if needed

When changing radio talk groups

• Transmission identification has to be received before preceding communications even take place.

“Nothing Showing,” Rule

• All units will automatically Reduce Speed with "Nothing Showtime" , expect while approaching hospitals or medical homes.

On Location/Reporting

• When a unit giving any type of information by means of a dispatcher but not requiring orders for other responding companies, the dispatcher then switches them over to "Proceed to Stand-By" status

Operating Instruction- Fireground Communications

Reporting procedures for first responding unit

• Following arrival to a assignment, give out the specified location and current conditions instantly.
• Upon investigation completion, then inform the dispatcher in the matter of 5 min by way of the form
• After, the Incident Commander shall broadcast the units' conditions every short period (10 min) until eventually command states the area is now under their control or in the event that this is any form of alarm whether minor/false, declare at the same instance. Fire officer might have assigned companies set themselves to have this as being set of the the "Standby".

On monitoring time segments with request reports

the Federal Communications Committee do be very active on needing progress reports at a time that has been allocated to them. If any type on of incident requires more than the allotted hours, theDeputy Commisioner do need a report

Fireground communications

• Information provided of the fireground shall be transmitted promptly or contain all details that may be reuqired.
• Telephone data as a form of lieu out of the radios when this be be efficient, or speedy. Officer do connect to this using specified FCC Supervisor number (215) 686-1340, 41, during the course of having telephonic calls needed

Announcing Dispatch/ Arrival

• Each engine/ ladder, etc... is required to alert dispatch quickly upon arrival, in conditions where more apparatuses may arrive together it can all be reported by one unit

FCC Cover up Notes

• The 2nd due battalion isn’t ever covered up by FCC. In the event there is just one Chief at an assigned area the FCC alerts that singular Chief with regards to who isn't on scene. At the time fire is happening dispatch does call the first Chief into another fire.

Unit Communication Maintenance

• Is the mandate for the officer through any aid to help with any form of commnucations. Deputy will go and provide aide.

Light Settings and Warnings

• For apparatus it is a mandate to showcase flashing lighting for ready to be spotted immediately by on scene personnel. In this is an action that is not taken place the device in question, will turn lights off

Requests for Personnel

• In the event of med units, or police being request on fireground, the rational behind it should all be recorded in concurrent form with the the FCC immediately, for certain events the data, may be routed to the FCC supervisor at a given telephone line [(215) 686-1340]

Battalion Chiers Aide

• Should always be ready for direction to be set where a file may go at any present times to give a statement of what or who is providing control of certain areas , and should there never be an allocated aid in question the person responsible need report it the FCC.

Fire Ground Emergency Evacuation

• The Incident Commander may do initiate an evacuation signal, and so that hi-lo warble tone is then going to come over to all the Fire All talk groups
• (????) By COMMANDER, so if needed to go about have the area assessed with the allocated time. If something is to happen be there any form unit that isn't set in such as the fire all talk groups, the specific command leader (Aide) then can just declare the order using the best corresponding channel that someone may end up be active, also if that happens to get out

Operation Instructions Recalls (FCC)

Local all clear units will be the first be removed

Alarm Tone

• Upon getting the order FCC shall remove the the short beeps once recall order does

No longer a action

• Times and numbers shall not get issued more and use of an assigned apparatus through MDT or NFIRS may be use be the commander at that specific point

Instructions and Operations- Activation of Emergency Functions (FCC)

The Philadelphia Fire Department is fully equipped to handle any form 800 MHz radio that is in the status to showcase problems . At any instance if this should occur a warning to provide in a visual/ audio form occurs at the FCC units to follow be a protocol.

####### Process for Emergency Button for Single Unit:

• Following any form action in not being recognized: BOX then will go be dispatched with SOC company, then med unit.

######## BOX actions

• FCC goes about doing notifiying any Incident commander assigned following command will review with the activation. In the the scenario that if the situation is very high in intensity where there is no command of some matter in place, those units on scenes will remove itself.

####### Procedure for Med Unit Activation:

• After activation from the Medical area be identified at the FCC level, an Ladder force should the be dispatched 1St on hand.

FCC will be the ones following the report from a Unit set at a inciden

• Should a situation for a unit activate without action in place they should the use the the AVL and see with the radio can come to life. In the event the signal doesn’t display properly, dispatch will send everything required

After Action From A FireHouse

• FCC will call for the apparatus and assign a med unit and fire unit there immediately

Portable Radio notes

Any EOR or emergency from such an incident do cause a supervisor and or officer to need contact immediately. Such action do bring us to need any of such form action. The portable radio. The aide needs be on guard while use analogue radio at the incident.

Special radio

• If an R.IT has be allocated there must be somebody oversea it for alerts such button, calls for aid.

Emergency Status Information Exchange

All information shall the flow to officer in command in which the reason the investigation of the emergency can be addressed. If all those process is not met then a review needs to addressed immediately

Mobile Data Terminal- Operating Note (MDT)

For all operations , install or make any changes

Standard Set-Up

All the devices be with various battalion / front line apparatus leaders Units do seat at all the time be lock and in a area of rugged conditions and able to be move only as such as a docking state as a laptop. As well are required to be connected to a shore while not in active

Daily tools assistance

For all MDT action

• CAD Access
• General Memos
• Chief Staff Notes
• EMS Procedures
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Directives: City of Philadelphia - Emeregency Plan
• DOT Emergency HA2MAT search tool