CITY OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT



TOWN OF NORTH BRANFORD, CONNECTICUT

FIRE DEPARTMENT

APRIL 2006

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STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE

USE OF VHF-H AND UHF PORTABLE RADIOS

1. SCOPE

The North Branford Fire Department hereby establishes a Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) for the use of portable radios; this includes the Kenwood Models TK-290, TK-5210K2/K3 VHF-H and TK-390 UHF radios. Each unit is programmed with NBFD dispatch and fire ground frequencies as well as frequencies necessary to facilitate mutual aid response; refer to the attached list for channel designations. In order to improve interoperability, the Connecticut Statewide Tactical Operations (STOCS) frequencies have been programmed into both VHF-H and UHF radios and are identified by CT-GP1-4. NOTE: Section 4.10 of the Operations Manual is hereby revoked.

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Standard Operating Guideline shall be to provide members with a standardized method of operating portable radios issued by the Department while describing techniques to employ for communicating to the Town’s Dispatch Center and contiguous jurisdictions.

3.0 IMPLEMENTATION

Effective 1800 hours on Monday, April 10, 2006, the Department will commence the use of the new Kenwood Model TK-290, TK-5210 and TK-390 portable radios. All existing portable radios, cases, remote speaker microphones and chargers will be collected and evaluated for future use.

• All Company Officer’s (Captains, Lieutenant’s, First and Second Lieutenant’s, Foremen) as well as Fire Police, will be issued a personal TK-290 VHF-H radio and accessories.

• Chief Officer’s will be issued VHF-H and UHF portable radios with accessories.

• All portable radio batteries are of the “NiMH Type” and therefore, will not develop a memory. The new chargers are designed for this type of battery; charging time is 110 minutes.

4.0 NBFD OPERATIONS

• The TK-290 and TK-5210 VHF-H radios are programmed to transmit and receive on all North Branford Fire Department dispatch and fire ground frequencies.

• The TK-390 UHF radio is programmed to transmit and receive on frequencies assigned to our mutual aid communities.

• Unless directed by a Chief Officer or their designee, UHF radios shall be kept on Channel 10 (CMED Dispatch).

• Chief and Company Officer’s shall keep their VHF-H radios on Channel 1 (NB Dispatch) with riding position portables maintain to Channel 3 (Ch. 1 Direct). The order to change to other channels will originate with Incident Commanders or during fire suppression operations, follow instructions below.

• Each portable radio is programmed with an electronic identifier that will be displayed on the Dispatcher’s Console indicating the assignment of each radio, i.e., Engine 1 Driver, Engine 2 Officer, Brush 3, and Ambulance 44.

• These electronic radio identifiers will also be displayed on Chief Officers’ TK-5210 LED display screen.

• As part of each radio’s programming, an “Emergency Signaling” device can be activated if a member becomes lost, trapped or disoriented during incident operations. Activation of the ORANGE BUTTON will annunciate at the Dispatch Center and automatically go into the transmit mode. After a given period the radio will enter the receive mode and then re-transmit. This cycle will continue until the radio reset. (Turn the radio off and then back on) The testing of this feature will coordinated by Chief Officer’s and the Town’s Dispatch Center.

• During fire operations, Chief and Company Officer’s shall maintain a VHF-H radio on Channel 1 (NBFD Dispatch) while incident operations assigned to Channel 2 (Fire ground Operations – [old TAC5]). Additional channels may be used during operations.

• Portable radios shall be maintained in their case with speaker microphone attached; during fire suppression activities the radio shall be worn underneath their PPE and the microphone placed outside of their coat.

• In addition to the NBFD frequencies, the VHF-H radio is programmed with Wallingford FD channels and the NB Public Works frequency. These channels permit interoperability during mutual aid response or during events that require DPW resources. The VHF-H radios are also programmed with the State of Connecticut STOCS channels identified as CTGP 1-3.

• The TK-390 UHF radios are programmed with C-MED channels 1-10 and frequencies for North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Guilford and Madison Fire Departments; Durham fire ground operations and Durham EMS. Added to the UHF radios are also the C-MED Tactical Medical channels (MTAC) and State of Connecticut STOCS channels which are established by CTGP 1-3. A total of 32 channels are installed on this radio, 16 are selected with the “A” switch and another bank of 16 channels is programmed to the “B” side of the “A/B” selector switch. (refer to attached list)

• STOCS channels and MTAC frequencies are designed for on-scene operations and are programmed in the simplex mode (Talk Around). MTAC channels are presently used by the New Haven Area Special Hazards (NHASH) Team for tactical hazmat operations. STOCS channels can be used for incident operations at the tactical unit management level but are specifically designed for interoperability between disciplines.

• The use of mutual aid frequencies will be under the direction of a Chief Officer or in their absence, a Company Officer.

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

This Standard Operating Guideline is effective April 10, 2006

PER ORDER OF THE FIRE CHIEF

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