Radio Communication Protocols for Emergency Services

What happens if there is no response after the dispatcher says 'FIRE ALARM TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY PE‐717, CHECK YOUR DISPLAY'?

A. Police and additional Fire/Rescue Support is sent to assist

B. The dispatcher repeats the message

C. The incident is closed

D. The unit in question says MAYDAY

ANSWER: A

What does the unit in question say to declare a MAYDAY?

A. HELP and unit number

B. URGENT and unit number

C. EMERGENCY and unit number

D. MAYDAY three times and unit number

ANSWER: D

What happens to L.U.N.A.R - Mayday Ops during an emergency?

A. They are disconnected

B. They are put on hold

C. They remain on the original incident T/G

D. They switch to a different incident T/G

ANSWER: C

What channel is Zone 4 Fairfax County on?

A. (703) 691-2130

B. (703) 691-2132

C. (703) 691-2133

D. (703) 691-2131

ANSWER: D

What type of information is displayed on the Zone 4 Fairfax County chart?

A. Emergency button activation procedures

B. Dispatcher training schedules

C. Unit numbers and names

D. Incident response protocols

ANSWER: C

What should a MCFRS unit do if it has an emergency in Fairfax County?

A. Transmit a specific message followed by unit number

B. Call the dispatcher directly

C. Transmit the FIRE ALARM message

D. Transmit the MAYDAY message

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the 'MAYDAY' procedure?

A. To respond to a life-threatening emergency

B. To cancel an alarm

C. To initiate a drill

D. To communicate with a dispatcher

ANSWER: A

What is ALRM 1 and ALRM 2 used for?

A. To communicate with a dispatcher

B. To initiate emergency alarms

C. To dispatch units to an incident

D. To cancel an alarm

ANSWER: B

What is the significance of B15-FD, C15-FD, and D15-FD?

A. They are unit identifiers

B. They indicate alarm types

C. They represent dispatch frequencies

D. They are identical to MCFRS 7 OSCAR

ANSWER: D

What is the purpose of a dispatcher in an emergency response?

A. To respond to the incident scene

B. To communicate with responders

C. To cancel alarms

D. To initiate drills

ANSWER: B

What is the primary goal of incident response protocols?

A. To mitigate the emergency

B. To investigate the incident

C. To cancel alarms

D. To communicate with the dispatcher

ANSWER: A

What is the significance of the 'UNIT' identifier?

A. It indicates the type of emergency

B. It identifies the responding unit

C. It cancels an alarm

D. It represents a dispatcher's identifier

ANSWER: B

What is the purpose of radio frequency management in emergency response?

A. To manage communication frequencies

B. To cancel alarms

C. To initiate drills

D. To coordinate responder movements

ANSWER: A

What is the role of MCFRS 7 OSCAR in emergency response?

A. It coordinates incident response

B. It provides emergency medical services

C. It standardizes emergency protocols

D. It cancels alarms

ANSWER: C

What happens when an Emergency Button (EB) activation is first transmitted?

A. It directly dispatches the closest emergency responders.

B. It creates an 'open mic' and the dispatcher listens to and evaluates the traffic.

C. It alerts all responders in the vicinity.

D. It automatically terminates the radio transmission.

ANSWER: B

What is the correct sequence of actions in a Mayday operation?

A. Transmit 'Mayday' three times, then activate the 'EB' button.

B. Transmit 'Mayday' three times, then give a lunar.

C. Transmit the lunar, then activate the 'EB' button.

D. Activate the 'EB' button and then transmit 'Mayday' three times.

ANSWER: B

What frequency will FG operations be switched to in a Mayday operation?

A. The closest available frequency.

B. The 4th TG in the group.

C. The primary incident TG.

D. The dispatcher's discretion.

ANSWER: B

What is the purpose of the dispatcher in an EB activation?

A. To listen to and evaluate the traffic.

B. To communicate with the responders.

C. To terminate the radio transmission.

D. To directly dispatch emergency responders.

ANSWER: A

What is the procedure when EB activation is confirmed or there is no response?

A. Emergent police response and dispatch closest manpower.

B. Check for errors in the transmission.

C. Terminate the radio transmission.

D. Reset and continue the operation.

ANSWER: A

What is the name of the zone in the provided radio reference guide?

A. Zone 10

B. Carroll County

C. Montgomery County

D. Anne Arundel County

ANSWER: D

What is the purpose of the 'EB' button?

A. To terminate the radio transmission.

B. To communicate with the dispatcher.

C. To signal an emergency or distress situation.

D. To initiate a Mayday operation.

ANSWER: C

What happens to PAR check in a Mayday operation?

A. It is only done on the primary incident TG.

B. It is continued on the new frequency.

C. It is paused until the situation is resolved.

D. It is terminated.

ANSWER: B

What happens when an Emergency Button (EB) activation is first transmitted?

A. It automatically begins transmitting and creates an 'open mic'

B. It alerts only the nearest unit to respond

C. It directly dispatches the closest manpower piece

D. It triggers a county-wide emergency response

ANSWER: A

What occurs when a unit confirms or does not respond to the dispatcher's call?

A. The dispatcher resets the unit's frequency

B. The unit is put on standby until further notice

C. An emergent police response and closest manpower piece are dispatched

D. The dispatcher repeats the call until a response is received

ANSWER: C

What is the purpose of Zone Operations in the provided radio reference guide?

A. To coordinate with neighboring county emergency services

B. To dispatch units based on their location

C. To provide zone-specific emergency response protocols

D. To manage radio frequencies for each zone

ANSWER: D

What channel do FG operations switch to during a Mayday operation?

A. The primary incident TG

B. A secure communication channel

C. A designated emergency frequency

D. The 4th TG in the group

ANSWER: D

What is the role of the dispatcher in an EB activation?

A. To evacuate the unit in distress

B. To contact neighboring county emergency services

C. To listen to and evaluate the traffic

D. To dispatch the closest manpower piece

ANSWER: C

What is the significance of the 'EB' button?

A. It alerts the nearest unit to respond

B. It triggers a county-wide emergency response

C. It starts an open mic for the dispatcher

D. It signals a unit's emergency status

ANSWER: C

What happens to PAR check during a Mayday operation?

A. It is moved to the 4th TG in the group

B. It is paused until the Mayday operation concludes

C. It is discontinued for the duration of the operation

D. It is replaced with an emergency frequency

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of secure communication in emergency response?

A. To quickly dispatch units to the emergency site

B. To provide real-time updates to the public

C. To coordinate with neighboring county emergency services

D. To ensure only authorized personnel receive sensitive information

ANSWER: D

What is the significance of A15-FD, B15-FD, C15-FD, and D15-FD in the context of emergency response?

A. They are used to declare an emergency

B. They are similar to MCFRS 7 OSCAR protocols

C. They are used to interrupt regular communication

D. They are used to identify the unit in a MAYDAY situation

ANSWER: B

What is the primary purpose of the 'MAYDAY' procedure in emergency response?

A. To interrupt regular communication

B. To test emergency response protocols

C. To identify the unit in an emergency

D. To alert other units of an emergency

ANSWER: D

What is the role of the dispatcher in an emergency response situation?

A. To test emergency response protocols

B. To coordinate emergency response efforts

C. To identify the unit in an emergency

D. To interrupt regular communication

ANSWER: B

What is the significance of the 'UNIT' identifier in the provided radio reference guide?

A. It is used to identify the unit in a MAYDAY situation

B. It is used to identify the type of emergency

C. It is used to declare an emergency

D. It is used to coordinate emergency response efforts

ANSWER: A

What is the primary goal of incident response protocols in emergency response?

A. To interrupt regular communication

B. To minimize response time

C. To identify the unit in an emergency

D. To test emergency response protocols

ANSWER: B

What is the purpose of secure communication protocols in emergency response?

A. To test emergency response protocols

B. To prevent unauthorized access to emergency communications

C. To ensure timely response to emergencies

D. To identify the unit in an emergency

ANSWER: B

What happens when an emergency button (EB) activation is first transmitted?

A. The emergency response team is alerted

B. Regular communication is interrupted

C. The dispatcher declares a MAYDAY

D. The unit is identified and emergency response protocols are initiated

ANSWER: D

What is the significance of PG EMS, PG South, and PG SOPS in the context of zone operations?

A. They are used to coordinate emergency response efforts

B. They are used to declare an emergency

C. They are used to identify the unit in an emergency

D. They represent different zones in emergency response

ANSWER: D

What is the next step if a unit does not respond after being hailed three times during an EB activation?

A. P.D. and Fire resources will be sent to the last known location

B. The EB activation will be cancelled

C. P.D. and Fire resources will be sent to a random location

D. The dispatcher will try to hail the unit again

ANSWER: A

What information does a unit provide when declaring a MAYDAY?

A. UCAN, Condition, and Needs

B. Unit, Condition, and Needs

C. Unit, Condition, Actions, and Needs

D. UCAN, Unit, Condition, and Actions

ANSWER: C

What is the purpose of the Zone 0 District of Columbia radio reference guide?

A. To detail the dispatch protocols for the District of Columbia

B. To provide a map of the District of Columbia

C. To outline the procedures for MAYDAY operations

D. To provide a list of emergency contact numbers

ANSWER: A

What is the correct sequence of actions when a MCFRS unit has an emergency in the District of Columbia?

A. Transmit the emergency message, then the unit's identifier

B. Declare a MAYDAY, then transmit the unit's identifier and emergency message

C. Transmit the unit's identifier, then declare a MAYDAY and the emergency message

D. Transmit the unit's identifier, then the emergency message

ANSWER: C

What is the primary purpose of the Emergency Button (EB) activation?

A. To request additional resources

B. To initiate a MAYDAY operation

C. To alert dispatch of a potential emergency

D. To switch to a secure communication channel

ANSWER: C

What is the role of the dispatcher in an EB activation?

A. To send P.D. and Fire resources to the last known location

B. To provide additional resources to the unit

C. To switch to a secure communication channel

D. To hail the unit three times to confirm the emergency

ANSWER: D

What is the significance of Zone 0 in the provided radio reference guide?

A. It represents the Montgomery County zone

B. It represents the District of Columbia zone

C. It represents the Loudon County zone

D. It represents the Fairfax County zone

ANSWER: B

What is the correct format for a unit to declare a MAYDAY?

A. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, then Unit, Condition, Actions, and Needs

B. MAYDAY, Unit, Condition, Actions, and Needs

C. MAYDAY, UCAN, Unit, Condition, Actions, and Needs

D. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, then UCAN, Unit, Condition, Actions, and Needs

ANSWER: D

What happens to the radio system's capacity in Failsoft mode?

A. It is unaffected

B. It remains the same

C. It greatly restricts

D. It increases

ANSWER: C

What is the purpose of the two VHF channels (7A1 and 7V2)?

A. To enhance coverage of the trunked system

B. To provide backup for the 800 MHz system

C. To provide additional channels for Failsoft mode

D. To support operational needs

ANSWER: D

How do radios operate in Failsoft mode?

A. They use central controllers to assign channels

B. They revert to pre-configured channel mappings

C. They shut down until central controllers are available

D. They use simulcast to connect to multiple channels

ANSWER: B

What happens to the 20 channels in Failsoft mode?

A. They are only available for emergency use

B. They are still shared by all users

C. They are used exclusively by dispatchers

D. They are restricted to 6 channels

ANSWER: D

What is the purpose of 7V2?

A. To enhance coverage in rural areas

B. To patch to 7A2 DISP

C. To provide a backup for 7A1

D. To support simulcast operations

ANSWER: B

What happens to the system's coverage in Failsoft mode?

A. It remains the same

B. It becomes unreliable

C. It decreases

D. It increases

ANSWER: A

What happens if a unit tries to transmit on 7A2 DISP or 7A1 OPS and does not receive an answer or hear any traffic?

A. The unit should try to switch to a backup zone

B. The unit should try to hail the dispatcher again

C. The unit should switch to a secondary channel

D. The unit should declare a MAYDAY

ANSWER: B

What is the purpose of the Montgomery County Radio System 'One Book'?

A. To provide a comprehensive guide for emergency response protocols

B. To provide a quick reference guide for radio system failures

C. To assign specific channels and talkgroups for MCFRS units

D. To outline the procedures for MAYDAY operations

ANSWER: B

Which section of the 'One Book' provides information on talkgroup assignments and radio procedures for Prince Georges County?

A. Maryland Jurisdictions

B. District of Columbia

C. Virginia Jurisdictions

D. Montgomery County Specific

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the 'Failsoft Channel / Back-Up Zone Talkgroup Assignments' section of the 'One Book'?

A. To assign specific channels and talkgroups for MCFRS units

B. To provide information on backup channels and talkgroups during emergency response scenarios

C. To outline the procedures for MAYDAY operations

D. To provide a comprehensive guide for radio system failures

ANSWER: B

What is the purpose of the 'VHF System Usage' section of the 'One Book'?

A. To outline the procedures for radio system failures

B. To assign specific channels and talkgroups for MCFRS units

C. To provide a comprehensive guide for emergency response protocols

D. To provide information on the usage of 7000 and multiband radios

ANSWER: D

Which section of the 'One Book' provides information on apparatus cell phone usage?

A. Apparatus Cell Phone (Zello) Usage

B. Virginia Jurisdictions

C. Maryland Jurisdictions

D. Montgomery County Specific

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the 'MCFRS Back-Up & Secondary Channel / Talkgroup Assignments' section of the 'One Book'?

A. To outline the procedures for MAYDAY operations

B. To provide a comprehensive guide for radio system failures

C. To assign specific channels and talkgroups for MCFRS units

D. To provide information on backup channels and talkgroups during emergency response scenarios

ANSWER: D

Which jurisdiction's talkgroup assignments and radio procedures are outlined in section 15 of the 'One Book'?

A. Howard County

B. Carroll County

C. Prince Georges County

D. Frederick County

ANSWER: C

What is the purpose of the 'District of Columbia' section of the 'One Book'?

A. To assign specific channels and talkgroups for MCFRS units

B. To provide a comprehensive guide for radio system failures

C. To outline the procedures for MAYDAY operations

D. To provide information on talkgroup assignments and radio procedures for the District of Columbia

ANSWER: D

What is the purpose of the 'Talkgroup Assignments & Radio Procedures' sections of the 'One Book'?

A. To provide information on talkgroup assignments and radio procedures for different jurisdictions

B. To outline the procedures for MAYDAY operations

C. To provide information on backup channels and talkgroups during emergency response scenarios

D. To assign specific channels and talkgroups for MCFRS units

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the 'CONFIRM or DENY' instruction from the dispatcher?

A. To confirm the unit's location

B. To cancel the emergency response

C. To confirm or deny the EA activation

D. To request additional information

ANSWER: C

What happens if the unit does not respond to the dispatcher's hail?

A. The unit will be considered an 'accidental' activation

B. The dispatcher will send help immediately

C. The dispatcher will hail the unit again

D. The dispatcher will cancel the emergency response

ANSWER: A

What is the significance of 'N T/A' in the Fairfax County zone?

A. It's similar to MCFRS 7 OSCAR

B. It's a type of emergency response

C. It's a unit identifier

D. It's a communication protocol

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the 'Engine 710 from Fairfax' instruction?

A. To confirm or deny the EA activation

B. To confirm the unit's location

C. To acknowledge the transmission and send help

D. To request additional information

ANSWER: C

What happens when an 'EB' activation is transmitted?

A. The unit will confirm or deny the activation

B. The dispatcher will hail the unit

C. The dispatcher will cancel the emergency response

D. Help is immediately sent to the unit

ANSWER: B

What is the purpose of the 'SAF' and 'DISP' columns in the Fairfax County zone?

A. To display unit information

B. To show the unit's location

C. To display emergency protocols

D. To display safety and dispatch information

ANSWER: D

What is the equivalent of '7 OSCAR' in MCFRS?

A. MAYDAY OPS

B. J Zone

C. Oscar RINS5D

D. MULTI-CALL

ANSWER: C

What type of channels are assigned in the 'MULTI' zone (positions I-P)?

A. National Tactical Channels

B. Howard County Channels

C. Frederick County Agencies Channels

D. Local Emergency Channels

ANSWER: A

What happens when a MCFRS unit goes into Howard County and has an emergency?

A. Transmits the following...

B. Calls the dispatcher for assistance

C. Switches to the 700 MHz frequency

D. Declares a MAYDAY on the L.U.N.A.R frequency

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of Zone HOF A-D in the radio reference guide?

A. To assign National Tactical Channels

B. To coordinate emergency responses in Howard County

C. To allow multiple Frederick County agencies to communicate

D. To manage fg operations

ANSWER: B

What is the relationship between 'MULTI' zone and 'J' zone in MCFRS?

A. They are used for different types of emergency responses

B. They are similar and allow multiple agencies to communicate

C. They are both used for Frederick County agencies

D. They are both used for National Tactical Channels

ANSWER: B

What is the significance of 'A1 DISP' in the HOF A zone?

A. It is a Frederick County agency's frequency

B. It is a National Tactical Channel

C. It is a MAYDAY OPS frequency

D. It is a dispatcher's frequency

ANSWER: D

What is the purpose of the 'MULTI-CALL' in the 'MULTI' zone?

A. To assign National Tactical Channels

B. To manage fg operations

C. To coordinate emergency responses in multiple counties

D. To allow multiple agencies to communicate

ANSWER: D

What is the relationship between 'HOF A' and 'HOF B' zones in the radio reference guide?

A. They are both used for Frederick County agencies

B. They are used for different types of emergency responses

C. They are both used for Howard County agencies

D. They are both used for National Tactical Channels

ANSWER: C

What is similar to MCFRS 7 OSCAR?

A. Arlington Zone 1, A1, B1, Alexandria 2

B. Montgomery County PE‐717

C. Loudoun County, Virginia

D. Prince William County, Virginia

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of Zone 5 and Zone 51 in the provided radio reference guide?

A. To provide communication channels for Prince William Fire

B. To dispatch units to non-emergency scenes

C. To coordinate responses with Loudoun County

D. To dispatch units to emergency scenes

ANSWER: A

What is identical in Prince William and Loudoun counties?

A. Radio frequencies

B. Dispatcher roles

C. Zone operations

D. Emergency Button (EB) procedures

ANSWER: D

What is the significance of the 'NOVEMBER' channel in Alexandria Zone 2?

A. It is used for EMS consults

B. It is used for fire alarm responses

C. It is used for MAYDAY operations

D. It is used for dispatching units

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the Zone 6 radio reference guide?

A. To provide dispatcher training protocols

B. To coordinate responses with Prince William County

C. To dispatch units to emergency scenes

D. To provide communication channels for Loudoun County

ANSWER: D

What is similar to the MCFRS VRS channels?

A. Arlington November channels

B. Arlington Zone 1 channels

C. Arlington Zone 1 NOVEMBER channel

D. Alexandria Zone 2 channels

ANSWER: A

What is the purpose of the radio reference guide?

A. To provide training protocols for dispatchers

B. To provide communication protocols for emergency responders

C. To dispatch units to emergency scenes

D. To coordinate responses with other counties

ANSWER: B

What is the significance of Zone (5) and Zone (6) in the provided radio reference guide?

A. They dispatch units to emergency scenes

B. They provide communication channels for Prince William and Loudoun counties

C. They provide training protocols for dispatchers

D. They coordinate responses with other counties

ANSWER: B

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Communications

• Contact number: (240) 777-2233
• In the event of total 800 MHz system failure:
  • APX-7000XE (Unit Officer Portables) switch to 7V1 VHF OPS or 7V2 VHF DSP R
  • APX-6000XE (All other radios) switch to zone "MA: 800 IO" and then to 8TAC91

No MCFRS 7 Alpha or 7 Bravo with Portable or Mobile Radios

• Use MCFRS Sonim phones assigned to the apparatus
• Steps to follow:
  • Touch the "ZelloWork" icon
  • Go to the "CHANNELS" tab
  • Turn on "*7A-DISP"
  • Use either the touch screen "PTT" or the large "PTT" button on the side of the phone

Failure of Sonim Phone

• Step 3: Switch to the "U" zone, which works on all MCFRS portable radios
• The PSCC will announce this over the radio and send a message to the stations
• MCFRS channels start at "GOLF"
• Units should select the appropriate channel based on their location in the county
• Refer to the site location map for geographic reference

MCFRS "U" Zone

• Zone names and corresponding locations:
  • U: EMG SOUTH, EMG NORTH, EMG NORTH 2, FD, CLARKSBURG, etc.
  • See the site location map for reference

MCFRS "J" Zone and "MULTI" Zone

• The "MULTI" zone (positions A-H) allows multiple Frederick County agencies to communicate
• The "MULTI" zone (positions I-P) are 700 MHz National Tactical Channels
• Assigned for FG OPS on an "as needed" basis

Howard County

• Zone names and corresponding locations:
  • HOF A: Howard A, A1 DISP, A2 OPS1, A3 OPS2, etc.
  • HOF B: Howard B, B1 BRAVO 1, B2 BRAVO 2, B3 BRAVO 3, etc.
  • HOF C: Howard C, C1 CHARLIE 1, C2 CHARLIE 2, C3 CHARLIE 3, etc.
• If a MCFRS unit goes into Howard County and has an emergency, transmit the following...

Other Jurisdictions

• Arlington, Alexandria, and MWAA (National/DCA & Dulles/IAD Airports) zones:
  • Zone names and corresponding locations
  • Contact 911 for emergency
• District of Columbia (DCFEMS) zones:
  • Zone names and corresponding locations
  • Contact number: (202) 673-3266
  • If a MCFRS unit goes into the District of Columbia and has an emergency, transmit the following...