June 1999 - Santa Clara County Fire Mutual Aid Plan - Radio Communications

from www.sccfd.org on 28May00

Mutual Aid Plan - Appendix 1 - Radio Communications Plan 
A. Purpose of The Plan
To provide for the usage of available radio frequencies by the fire service during periods of major emergencies where multi-fire agencies are assigned to the incident.
To address the following type of multi-agency responses:
Automatic mutual aid between two departments on first-alarm assignments. 
Mutual aid responses to large multi-agency incidents such as major fires, explosions, hazardous materials incidents, multi-casualty incidents, and wildland fires within Santa Clara County.
Major incidents outside of Santa Clara County in a strike team response.
No fire agency may transmit on any radio frequency without a valid license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the specific frequency, or an authorization issued by the agency holding the FCC license. Nothing within this plan authorizes the use of any radio frequency not licensed to the agency or specifically authorized by the licensee.
Agency dispatch frequencies shall not be used for tactical purposes unless specifically authorized by the Agency.
The following definition of communications types shall apply as designated.

TRAVEL communications shall mean those radio communications from units responding to an incident outside of their own jurisdiction and the Communications Center or Incident Commander responsible for the incident. Typical communications would be those advising of response, ETA's, enroute changes, and similar information affecting the unit's ability to reach its destination and to return to its own jurisdiction. 

COMMAND communications shall mean those radio communications between the Incident Commander, Command and General Staff, various subordinate team leaders, and the Incident Communications Center pertaining to command and control of the incident. This does not include communications between the team leaders and their respective assigned units.

TACTICAL communications shall mean those radio communications between the team leaders and their respective assigned units for the purpose of carrying out their assigned missions.

AIR/GROUND communications shall mean those radio communications between aircraft assigned to the incident and a team leader or higher staff on the ground. Communications between aircraft and other individual ground units could occasionally occur under unusual circumstances. Ground-to-ground communications is prohibited.

B. Available Radio Frequencies and Their Limitations and Recommended Order of use.
1. Frequencies available for TRAVEL communications for Mutual Aid incidents within Santa Clara County:
Primary dispatch channel of incident owner
154.280 MHz (WHITE 1) - Mutual Aid Intersystem
Command channel of incident owner
Out of County: Travel Net
2. Frequencies available for COMMAND communications for Mutual Aid incidents within Santa Clara County:
Command channel of incident owner
153.845 MHz (BLUE) Countywide Mutual Aid
154.280 MHz (WHITE 1) Mutual Aid Intersystem
3. Frequencies available for TACTICAL communications for incidents within Santa Clara County:
Tactical channel(s) of incident owner
153.830 MHz (YELLOW) Tactical
154.295 MHz (WHITE 3) Mutual Aid Intersystem
154.265 MHz (WHITE 2) Mutual Aid Intersystem
156.075 MHz (CALCORD) *Interservice coordination
*The CALCORD radio channel is available for use as a "Scene-of-Action" coordination channel between command units of law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, emergency services, public works, and similar agencies operating at the scene of a major emergency or disaster. This is not available for communications between units of similar agencies; i.e., fire-to-fire, police-to-police, etc.
4. The following CDF statewide frequencies may be installed in local fire agency radios, but may only be used on a multi-agency incident involving CDF and only when CDF has given prior authorization to do so. Authorization for such use extends only to the individual incident for which it has been granted.
159.300 (T)/151.355 (R) CDF Command Net 1
159.330 (T)/151.265 (R) CDF Command Net 2
5. Additional frequencies available for major incidents within Santa Clara County (requires CDF authorization):
159.345 MHz (T)/151.445 MHz (R)(CDF LOCAL) - Santa Clara RU Dispatch
151.160 MHz (CDF TAC 2) CDF Tactical 2
151.325 MHz (CDF TAC 6) CDF Tactical 6
151.385 MHz (CDF TAC 9) CDF Tactical 9
151.400 MHz (CDF TAC 10) CDF Tactical 10
151.220 MHz CDF Air/ground
170.000 MHz USFS Air/ground
6. Additional frequencies available for major incidents outside of Santa Clara County (strike teams) or major wildland fires within the County (requires CDF or USFS authorization):
168.325 MHz (T)/169.125 MHz (R) California Travel Net
168.050 MHz (T&R) NIFC Tact 1 (FST-1)
168.200 MHz (T&R) NIFC Tact 2 (FST-2)
168.600 MHz (T&R) NIFC Tact 3 (FST-3)
170.975 MHz (T)/168.700 MHz (R) NIFC Comd 1 (FSC-1)
170.450 MHz (T)/168.100 MHz (R) NIFC Comd 2 (FSC-2)
170.425 MHz (T)/168.075 MHz (R) NIFC Comd 3 (FSC-3)
7. Eight standard CTCSS tones for repeater access must be included for statewide and local (CDF) repeater use.
1. 110.900 - 2. 123.000 - 3. 131.800 - 4. 136.500 - 5. 146.200 - 6. 156.700 - 7. 167.900 - 8. 103.500
8. California is covered by a statewide traveling radio network. The system is monitored by 24-hour dispatch centers. Starting at the north end of California, California Travel Network sites are as follows:
Tone - Site Name - Unit - Agency
7 Ball Mt. KNF USFS
1 Grouse Mt. MDF USFS
8 Soda Ridge SKU CDF
4 Horse Mt. SRF USFS
2 Cahto Pk. R01 CDF
5 Black Mt. LNF USFS
7 St. John Mt. MNF MNF
3 Mt. Rose Toyaibe USFS
5 Mt. St. Helena R01 CDF
6 Big Hill ENF USFS
4 Mt. Diablo FS5 USFS
7 Conway Summit BBD USFS
2 Musick Pk. SNF USFS
8 Silver Pk. INF CDF
8 Pacheco Pk. R04 CDF
1 Cerro Gordo Mt. CDD USFS
6 Calandra Pk. LPF USFS
7 Bear Pk. BBD USFS
1 Mt. Lowe R03 CDF
4 Breckendridge Mt. SQF CDF
3 Santa Inez LPF USFS
8 Frazier Mt. LPF USFS
5 Blue Ridge ANF USFS
6 Onyx Pk. BDF USFS
8 Pleasant Pk. CNF USFS
7 Elsinore Pk. CNF CDF
4 Lyons Pk. CNF USFS
? Mt. Woodson CDF

C. Communications Procedures
1. ACTIVATION - The Local Mutual Aid Plan may be activated by a fire officer of any of the participating fire departments, following that department's procedures.
2. Requests shall indicate:
Requesting jurisdiction 
Reporting location 
Thomas Brothers map location 
Resources requested 
Probable assignment 
Travel frequencies listed by frequency (MHz) and call sign. Example: "154.280, Santa Clara County on White 1." 
3. Units dispatched will respond on the appropriate mutual aid frequency using "Clear Text," acknowledging response and destination. Example: "Santa Clara County on White 1, Palo Alto Engine One responding to rendezvous area at Foothill College, El Monte Fire Station."
4. Mutual aid resources will be activated in sequence as listed in RESOURCE ORDER.
5. Mutual aid resources will be dispatched in one or more of the following resource configurations:
Single Resource - Any single fire suppression resource. 
Alarm Assignment - Two (2) engines, one (1) truck, one (1) chief officer. 
Strike Team - Five (5) engines, one (1) chief officer. 
Task Force - Any group of resources temporarily assembled for a specific mission as specified by the requesting agency. One (1) chief officer. 
6. The maximum resource commitment of each department is listed in Appendix 9. The maximum commitment (MAX) shall be interpreted as the total combination of fire apparatus resources available from a single jurisdiction. Chief officers do not count as a fire apparatus resource.
Example: San Jose MAX = 3. Combinations may include: Two (2) engines, one (1) truck; One (1) engine, one (1) truck, one (1) hazmat; etc.
7. Automatic aid response between two departments on first-alarm assignments is considered a single department alarm and all radio communications should take place on a radio frequency utilized by the department in whose jurisdiction the alarm is located.
Example: "Morgan Hill (South County Fire), Gilroy Engine 1 responding."
The departments involved should provide a procedure for such response including identifying the radio frequencies involved. Where one of the departments involved does not have capability for operating on the other's day-to-day channels, and cannot reasonably obtain the channel, then the following channels should be used in the order stated:
153.845 MHz (Blue) Countywide Mutual Aid
154.280 MHz (White 1) Mutual Aid Intersystem
8. The communications center for the jurisdiction having the incident will handle emergency radio communications for the incident.
9. Apparatus shall report status to requesting jurisdiction at time of response via assigned travel frequency.
Example: "Gilroy White, South County Engine 1 responding."
10. The Santa Clara County Area Fire Coordinator shall be notified and updated on incident status through County Communications when five (5) or more mutual aid resources are requested. It shall be the Coordinator's responsibility to assemble additional resources in the event available local resources are depleted.
11. All requests for strike teams to or from other counties are made via the Area Fire Coordinator through County Communications.
12. Santa Clara County Communications will provide communications during travel to assembly for strike teams leaving the County.

Available Frequencies and Recommended Order of Use
Frequencies
Call-Sign (MHz)
Travel
�
�
Dispatch Channel of Incident Owner
154.280
White 1
�
Command Channel of Incident Owner
168.325 (T)/169.125(R)
Out of County
�
California Travel Net
�
�
Command
�
�
Command Channel of Incident Owner
153.845
Blue
154.280
White 1
�
�
Tactical
�
�
Tactical Channel(s) of Incident Owner
153.830
Yellow
154.265
White 2
154.295
White 3
156.075
CALCORD
�
�
Additional Frequencies Available for Major Incidents
(Require CDF Authorization)
�
151.445
CDF Local
151.355
CDF State 1
151.265
CDF State 2
151.160
CDF Tac 2
151.325
CDF Tac 6
151.385
CDF Tac 9
151.400
CDF Tac 10
�
�
Air/Ground
�
151.220
CDF Air/Ground
170.000
USFS Air/Ground
�
�
Additional Out of County
�
�
�
168.050(T & R)
NIFC TACT 1 (FST-1)
168.200(T & R)
NIFC TACT 2 (FST-2)
168.600(T & R)
NIFC TACT 3 (FST-3)
170.975(T)/168.700(R)
NIFC COMD 1 (FSC-1)
170.450(T)/168.100(R)
NIFC COMD 2 (FSC-2)
170.425(T)/168.075(R)
NIFC COMD 3 (FSC-3)
Santa Clara County Local Agency Fire Frequencies
Agency
Base Station if Different from Agency Name
Frequency Use
Transmit Frequency
CICSS Tone Protection (Private Line)
Receive Frequency

California Department of Forestry
"Morgan Hill"
Primary
159.345
(2) Varies
(1) 151.445
County Fire Department
"County Fire"
Primary
154.250
162.2
154.250

"County Command 1"
Command
153.905
192.8
153.905

"County Command 2"
Command
158.955
167.9
(1) 155.985

"County Command 3"
Command
154.145
192.8
154.145

"County Tac"
Tactical
154.175
162.2
154.175

"County Command 8"
Command
154.400
110.9
154.400

Gilroy Fire Department
�
�
154.895
162.2
(1) 154.340

Milpitas Fire Department
�
�
465.625
179.9
460.625

Mountain View Fire Department
�
Primary
154.995
110.9
154.025
�
�
Tactical
158.865
110.9
158.865

Palo Alto Fire Department
�
�
154.445
110.9
153.770
�
�
Tactical
154.055
CS
154.055

San Jose Fire Department
�
Primary
154.010
173.8
154.101
�
"San Jose Command 3"
Command
154.115
173.8
154.115
�
"San Jose Command 4"
Command
155.820
173.8
153.980
�
"San Jose Tac 5"
Tactical
155.880
173.8
155.880

Santa Clara Fire Departmnt (3)
�
Primary
800 MHz
�
800 MHz

Saratoga Fire District
�
�
154.205
179.9
154.205

South County Fire Department
"Morgan Hill"
�
159.345
(2) Varies
(1) 151.445

Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (3)
�
Primary
485.7125
141.3
482.7125
�
�
Tactical
485.4125
141.3
482.4125

Notes:
Receive frequency may also be used as Car-to-Car or Fireground tactical frequency. 
Typically utilizes tones 4 and 5 of the Statewide Standard Tones. 
Milpita's, Santa Clara's, and Sunnyvale's frequencies are not available on most fire department radios. 

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