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Radio Communications - General

Foundational

Scope

This Operational Guideline outlines standardised radio communication including content of calls to be used by members of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS).

Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members

Guiding Principles

The processes outlined within this OPG reflect and support the Incident Control System (ICS) and are compatible with radio communications procedures used in most Australian Fire Services.
Members will use plain language and standard phrases to prevent misunderstanding and minimise air time for commonly made calls.
When contacting another unit, give their call sign first, and then give your call sign. (e.g. “ Bornholm 1, from Ashford 1”). Refer to the RFS OPG - Radio Communications - Allocation of Call Signs for more information.
Once communication is established, call signs do not have to be included in every call, provided it is clear which units are communicating with each other.
Report any congestion, interference, or failure of any RFS radio infrastructure through the chain of command.
Radio Priority Codes may be used to indicate the priority of a call, i.e.:

Content of Calls

When departing the station and/or called out to an incident, appliances will notify FireCom via Status Panel, Mobile Data Terminal (MDT), or radio. If communicating by radio, provide:
- crew strength, including number of SCBA operators (BAO qualified only) and structural operators (SFF qualified). For example: “Ashburg 1 has a crew strength of 4 including 2 Structural and 1 BAO”.
- type and location of the incident/destination; and
- the rank of the officer in charge (OIC) of the unit.
Initial Situation Report (Sitrep) on arrival must be given by radio.
For appliances travelling to another District (changing radio channels), crew should advise FireCom when they are transferring to another channel.
When appliances are travelling together (as part of a Strike Team/Task Force) all radio communication for the team will be coordinated by the Strike Team/Task Force Leader.
An incident call sign should be adopted as ‘(name of incident) Control’ by the Incident Controller (IC). This should reflect the property name, locale, road, or another well-known nearby feature e.g. Brown’s Mountain Control, as outlined in RFS OPG – Situation Reports.
- For incidents where RFS is not the IC, the RFS OIC may use the call sign ‘(name of incident) Command’ in lieu of Control.
All appliances at the scene communicate with Control (or other supervising appliance as directed) on the Tactical or Task network, until released from the incident. It is recommended that only Control talks directly to FireCom from the incident.
FireCom is the call sign to be used by the personnel controlling the Area Network. This will normally be the Operational Communications Centre (OCC), or a District Fire Control Centre (FCC) when activated.
For general activities, Status Panels, or MDTs may be used instead of a radio call to FireCom, such as when:
- opening up a radio listening watch;
- departing the station;
- arriving at a destination;
- returning to the station; or
- closing down a radio listening watch;
Read-back procedures may be used to confirm that messages have been received correctly.
Local communication arrangements for bush fire operations will be defined within the s52 Plan of Operations to mitigate any loss of communications or system failure. These local arrangements should be tested annually.

Special Considerations

Some information, such as the discrete reporting of information such as injured or deceased persons, should be communicated via a non-broadcast medium such as a mobile phone. If communicated via radio, transmissions should be simple, short, and most importantly, discrete (i.e. excluding names or other identifying words or phrases). Refer to RFS OPG – Situation Reports.
Communicate any urgent/special safety warnings as soon as possible to the appropriate personnel. A special safety warning may be initiated from within the Incident Management Team (IMT). Refer to RFS OPG - Special Safety Warnings.

Complex Incidents

The IC may have an aide to assist with communications, scribing etc. This person will use the “Control” call sign.
The incident ground may be divided into sectors and/or divisions, each with an OIC of that sector or division. In this case, appliances at the scene communicate with the OIC of the division or sector to which they have been assigned.
The IC may establish an IMT in the field to assist them and may use the facilities of a specially designed Operational Command Vehicle (OCV) (e.g. command/communications bus) or the District Fire Communications Centre (FCC).
Communications Officers may be assigned specifically to the incident, while others continue to provide communications for other RFS activities in the Area Network.

Radio Network Types

The radio networks utilised by the RFS include Area, Command, Tactical, and Task networks.
Command, Tactical, and Task networks may be implemented at an incident to reduce congestion, improve reception , and manage span of control.
FireCom is to monitor and control radio traffic on the Area network at all times. Units shall report to FireCom for brigade activities unless they are communicating with a field Control call sign on a Command or Tactical network.
The role of FireCom is to manage communication traffic on an Area network and to ensure effective incident coordination. These tasks include receiving and transmitting messages, allocating specific channels and resources for Command or Tactical networks, and dispatching resources to incidents and other planned events.
Controlled networks are those that are managed by communication officers who control radio traffic between users on the network. FireCom on an Area Network is an example of a controlled network. Radio networks which are uncontrolled results in congestion, may be chaotic and impact on effective incident coordination. Controlled networks are often hosted through the Public Safety Network (PSN) or District Private Mobile Radio (PMR) network.
Where there is a need to communicate with a unit within a controlled network, permission must be sought from FireCom to talk directly with that unit. This is referred to as a ‘flank’ call. Flank calls are not encouraged, however, if allowed they must be brief. Permission is not necessary if the call involves an urgent safety matter.
Command networks are used by units to communicate between FireCom and Control, or between Control and Divisions at incidents, to allow for coordination and communication specific to the incident being managed. These networks tend to be hosted through PSN / PMR or potentially fireground channels if allowed by distance or terrain.
Tactical networks are used between Divisions or Sectors at larger incidents when field commands are created and may be controlled. These networks may be hosted through the PSN or fireground channels.
Task networks are used for crews and units to communicate amongst themselves and are usually uncontrolled. These networks tend to be hosted through fireground or public UHF channels.

Related Information

Content Owner: Area Operations
Date Approved: 26 Mar 2024
Review Required: 26 Mar 2027
Version: 1.0

If you have any questions or feedback on Operational Doctrine, please email Ops.Performance@rfs.nsw.gov.au.