Toronto Fire Services Radio and Communications Equipment Use PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE RADIO AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT – USE Date Issued: March 29, 2019 Rescinds: December 1, 2008 Section: Equipment File Code: E-RAD (U) PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for using portable and mobile radio and communications equipme...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE RADIO AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT – USE Date Issued: March 29, 2019 Rescinds: December 1, 2008 Section: Equipment File Code: E-RAD (U) PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for using portable and mobile radio and communications equipment (radio). RESPONSIBILITY All personnel are responsible for properly using radios. Company Officers are responsible for ensuring their crew members follow this guideline and use Toronto Fire Services radios properly. The Communications Division is responsible for coordinating and managing all TFS radio use. GUIDELINES 1. Wear 1.1. Portable radios shall be worn in bunker suit pockets or cases for protection from damage by exposure or dropping at all times. 1.2. Personnel shall be accountable for damage to radios in their possession. 1.3. Personnel should use the remote microphones on portable radios whenever possible 2. Loss or Damage 2.1. In the event of to a radio, personnel shall perform the following: a) Report loss to the Communications Centre. b) Report loss to the District Chief. c) Report loss to the Platoon Chief. d) Complete Lost or Damaged Equipment Report. e) Send radio to Communications Centre (damaged only). f) Send forms to Communications Centre. 2.2. Each Lost or Damaged Equipment Report shall be immediately forwarded to the Division Chief (Communications) from the Communications Centre. 3. Batteries 3.1. Batteries should be routinely changed at the beginning of each shift. 3.2. Batteries should be routinely changed after extended periods of operation. File Code: E-RAD(U) Page 1 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE 3.3. Batteries failing to indicate charge after extended charging should be removed from service and forwarded to the Communications Centre with a completed Repair Order accompanying. 4. Transmitting 4.1. Radio identifiers shall be used at all times. 4.2. Names and personal references shall not replace any radio alias during transmission except during a “May Day” situation. 4.3. The term “over” shall not be used to end each transmission. 4.4. Personnel should limit their use of codes in all radio communication. 4.5. Due to complications that arise in joint agency operations (i.e. other agencies not understanding a TFS code system), non-essential radio codes shall not be used. 4.6. A code shall be maintained for potentially life-threatening and violent incidents requiring immediate Police response. Code 1 will be used by on-scene crews to indicate that Police are required immediately at the scene, and the safety of the Incident Commander or crew may be jeopardized if the Incident Commander or crew do not use discretion.1 "Code 2" will be used by Communications to advise incoming crews of potentially violent situations. 1 4.7. Personnel should observe the following: a) All words should be spoken plainly and each word ended clearly to avoid running together consecutive words. b) Avoid tendencies to shout, artificially accent syllables or talk too rapidly. 4.8. During voice transmission using a radio all personnel should be aware of the following: a) Message; b) Personnel should familiarize themselves with what they plan to say before opening the microphone. c) Speed; d) The rate of speech should be kept constant, neither too fast, or too slow. Personnel receiving messages often have to write down details. e) Pitch; f) High pitched voices transmit better than low pitched voices. g) Rhythm; h) Rhythm of ordinary conversation should be preserved. Make sure words are clearly separated by avoiding the introduction of such unnecessary sounds as “er” and “um”. i) Microphone Position; j) Correct distance between the mouth and the microphone should be 1 Toronto Fire Services, Communications Procedures Training Note 902 (2003), Police Emergency Assistance, 10.2.1, page 10. File Code: E-RAD(U) Page 2 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE maintained at all times. Usually, the lips of the operator should not be more than 3 cm from the microphone. 5. Spelling 5.1. Words of the phonetic alphabet shall be learned thoroughly by all personnel. Whenever isolated letters or groups of letters are pronounced separately, or when communication is difficult, the phonetic alphabet should be easily and fluently used. A – ALPHA N – NOVEMBER B – BRAVO O – OSCAR C – CHARLIE P – PAPA D – DELTA Q – QUEBEC E – ECHO R – ROMEO F – FOXTROT S – SIERRA G – GOLF T – TANGO H – HOTEL U – UNIFORM I – INDIA V – VICTOR J – JULIET W – WHISKEY K – KILO X – X-RAY L – LIMA Y – YANKEE M – MIKE Z – ZULU 6. Numbers 6.1. All numbers, except whole thousands, should be transmitted by pronouncing each digit separately. Whole thousands should be transmitted by pronouncing each digit in the number of thousands, followed by the word “thousand”. Number Transmit as: 10 One, zero 75 Seven, five 100 One, zero, zero 583 Five, eight, three 5,000 Five, thousand 5,800 Five, eight, zero, zero 11,000 One, one, thousand 25,000 Two-five thousand 38,143 Three, eight, one, four, three 7. Procedure Words and Phrases 7.1. While it is not practical to lay down a precise phraseology for all radio procedures, the following words and phrases should be used where applicable. Words and phrases such as “OK” and “How’s that”, etc., or slang expressions shall never be used. The following are common terms that should be used by personnel in radio transmission: Acknowledge Indicate receiving and understanding this message. Affirmative Yes, or permission granted. Confirm My version is......is that correct? Correction An error has been made in this transmission (or message indicated). The correct version is... Go ahead Proceed with your message. File Code: E-RAD(U) Page 3 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE How do you read? Self-explanatory. Negative No, or permission not granted; or, that is not correct; or, do not agree. Roger Received all of the last transmission. Standby Self-explanatory. That is correct Self-explanatory. Wilco Will comply. Instructions are received, understood, and shall be complied with. ATTACHMENT(S) N/A RELATED SOGS E-CELL — Cellular Telephones, Pagers and other Personal Electronic Devices E-EQUI — Equipment – General E-RAD(R) — Radio and Communications Equipment – Repair E-RAD(T) — Radio and Communications Equipment – Tests F-DISP — Dispatch and Communications Equipment (Fire Station) G-COMM — Communications-Dispatching- Radio Procedures File Code: E-RAD(U) Page 4 of 4