Communications

Question 1

NFPA Standard: Standard Classifications for incident Reporting and Fire Protection Data

Answer 1

NFPA 901

Question 2

NFPA Standard: Fire Reporting Field Incident Guide

Answer 2

NFPA 902

Question 3

NFPA Standard: Standard for Professional Qualifications for Public Safety Telecommunicator.

Answer 3

NFPA 1061

Question 4

NFPA Standard: Standard for the installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications System.

Answer 4

NFPA 1221

Question 5

A device that keeps a detailed record of every incident and activity that occurs.

Answer 5

Activity Logging System

Question 6

An enhanced 911 service feature that displays where the call originated or where the phone service is billed.

Answer 6

Automatic Location Identification (ALI)

Question 7

An enhanced 911 service that shows the calling party’s phone number on the display screen at the telecommunicator’s terminal.

Answer 7

Automatic Number Identification (ANI)

Question 8

Radios that are permanently mounted in a building, such as a fire station, communications center, or remote transmitter site.

Answer 8

Base Station

Question 9

A system of telephones connected by phone lines, radio equipment, or cellular technology to communicate with a communications center or fire department.

Answer 9

Call Box

Question 10

A facility that receives emergency or nonemergency reports from citizens. Many communications centers are also responsible for dispatching fire department units.

Answer 10

Communications Center

Question 11

A computer-based automated system used by telecommunicators to obtain and assess dispatch information. The system recommends the type of response required.

Answer 11

Computer-aided Dispatch (CAD)

Question 12

A telephone that connects two predetermined points.

Answer 12

Direct-line

Question 13

A summons to fire department units to respond to an emergency. Also known as alerting, dispatch is performed by the telecommunicator at the communications center.

Answer 13

Dispatch

Question 14

A radio system that uses two frequencies per channel. One frequency transmits and the other receives messages. The system uses a repeater site to transmit messages over a greater distance than is possible with a simplex system.

Answer 14

Duplex Channel

Question 15

An urgent message, such as a call for help or evacuation, transmitted over a radio that takes precedence over all normal radio traffic.

Answer 15

Emergency Traffic

Question 16

A warning to all personnel to pull back to a safe locations.

Answer 16

Evacuation signal

Question 17

The federal regulatory authority that oversees radio communications in the United States.

Answer 17

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Question 18

A code indication that a fire fighter is lost, missing, or requires immediate assistance.

Answer 18

Mayday

Question 19

Technology that allows fire fighters to receive information in the apparatus or at the station.

Answer 19

Mobile Data Terminal

Question 20

A two-way radio that is permanently mounted in a fire apparatus.

Answer 20

Mobile Radio

Question 21

A system used by fire departments to report and maintain computerized records of fires and other fire department incidents in a uniform manner.

Answer 21

National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)

Question 22

A battery-operated, hand-held transceiver.

Answer 22

Portable radio

Question 23

The community’s emergency response communications center.

Answer 23

public safety answering point (PSAP)

Question 24

A radio system that automatically retransmits a radio signal on a different frequency.

Answer 24

Radio repeater system

Question 25

Cards used to determine a predetermined response to an emergency.

Answer 25

Run Cards

Question 26

A radio system that uses one frequency to transmit and receive all messages.

Answer 26

Simplex Channel

Question 27

An electric circuit designed to cut off weak radio transmissions that are only capable of generating noise.

Answer 27

Squelch

Question 28

A simplex Channel used for On-Site communications

Answer 28

Talk-around Channel

Question 29

User devices that allow speech- and/or hearing impaired citizens to communicate over a telephone system.

Answer 29

TDD/TTY Phone System:

TDD stands for telecommunications device for the deaf. TTY stands for teletype: text phones visually display text.

Question 30

A trained individual who is responsible for answering requests for emergency and nonemergency assistance from citizens. This individual assesses the need for a response and alerts responders to the incident.

Answer 30

Telecommunicator

Question 31

The phase in a 911 call during which the telecommunicator asks questions to obtain vital information such as the location of the emergency.

Answer 31

Telephone interrogation

Question 32

A system of predetermined coded messages, such as “What is your 10-20”, used by responders over the radio.

Answer 32

Ten-codes

Question 33

Status updates provided to communications center every 10 to 20 minutes. Such an update should include the type of operation, the progress of the incident, the anticipated actions, and the need for additional resources.

Answer 33

Time marks

Question 34

A radio system that uses a shared bank of frequencies to make the most efficient use of radio resources

Answer 34

Trunking system

Question 35

Recording devices or computer equipment connected to telephone lines and radio equipment in a communications center to record telephone calls and radio traffic.

Answer 35

Voice recording system.