Radio Frequencies

Radio Safety

Outline of a Fire Call

Local Information

SMPERS (pdf)

Common Local Radio Codes

Radio codes are not used in day-to-day fire radio traffic. However, they do slip through. The following are some of the most common codes:

Local Units Slang and Terminology

Today's radio communications centers look much like this one. The radios, telephones and related electronic equipment such as instant recall recorders are all controlled by computers.

Telephone operators receive 911 calls that are displayed on a screen that indicates the number and address of the person calling. Some computer aided dispatch systems even produce a map indicating where the location is. Many departments have CAD systems that automatically give the unit assignments to the dispatcher.

Radio systems can be a simple base station to a system of multi-frequency, simulcast repeaters, such as the one used in Santa Barbara County, to the complex 800 MHz. trunking systems of major metropolitan public safety agencies.