Field Communications Manual - May 2020

Question 1

A radio system operating on a defined number of frequency channels. The control channels coordinate the sharing of talkgroups on the system.

Answer 1

Trunked Radio System

Page 4

Question 2

Radio designation used when the request is approved or ordered by the Incident Commander for a company of four or more to split into two teams to work in two distinct or separate areas or functions.

Answer 2

X-ray

Page 4

Question 3

Process for the Incident Commander to determine the safety and welfare of the individuals on the scene or those operating under their command.

Answer 3

Personal Accountability Report (P.A.R.)

Page 4

Question 4

How often are PAR checks done at minimum?

Answer 4

Starting at the 20-minute timer and every 20-minutes thereafter

Page 4

Question 5

What is the difference between priority 1 and 2 response modes?

Answer 5

Priority 1: Respond with caution while using all emergency warning devices and headlights.

Priority 2: Respond in a non-emergency mode without warning devices

Page 4

Question 6

Who is the entity responsible for coordinating the availability of beds in the five hospitals and two trauma centers closest to the incident?

What group does this fall under?

Answer 6

Regional Hospital Coordination Center (RHCC)

The RHCC contact falls under the Transportation Group.

Page 4

Question 7

Each jurisdiction is allocated a radio zone based on the Council of Government assigned number. What number is assigned for each department in the COG region?

Answer 7

0 - Washington D.C.

1 - Arlington County, VA (including Fort Myer)

2 - City of Alexandria

3 - Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority

4 - Fairfax County, VA (including the City of Fairfax and Fort Belvoir)

5 - Prince William County, VA (including City of Manassas and City of Manassas Park)

6 - Loudoun County, VA

7 - Montgomery County, MD

8 - Prince George’s County, MD

9 - Frederick County, MD

10 - Charles County, MD

11 - Fauquier County, VA

12 - Culpeper County, VA

14 - Rappahannock County, VA

15 - Stafford County, VA

Page 5

Question 8

What is the universal safety channel in all primary radio zones in the COG region?

Answer 8

Channel Oscar

Page 7

Question 9

What is the typical range of the talk around channels in terms of distance?

Answer 9

About a mile of line of sight of other radio users.

In-building coverage will vary depending on building construction or radio assisted devices within the structure.

Page 7

Question 10

A _______ is a plan that distributes radio channels to the various sections, branches, divisions, and groups of the Incident Command System.

Answer 10

Major Incident Communications Plan (MICP)

Page 8

Question 11

Prior to making a radio transmission, fire and emergency service personnel should consider the following 4 things:

Answer 11

1. What message do you want to convey?
2. Is the message necessary?
3. Keep it brief
4. When you key the microphone (often abbreviated to mic), be prepared to speak.

Page 10

Question 12

Once you are ready to transmit your radio message, follow in these four steps:

Answer 12

1. Key the mic, hesitate, and convey message; when complete, stop, hesitate, and release the mic.
2. Speak in a normal conversational tone.
3. Hold the radio or mic one or two inches from your mouth and speak clearly and directly into the mic.
4. Engage in active listening.

Page 10

Question 13

When making a radio transmission DO NOT do these 5 things:

Answer 13

1. Transmit personal or non-business messages.
2. Transmit while standing too close to another radio
3. Use profanity, exchange pleasantries, or offer personal greetings.
4. Use names on the radio (except in a MAYDAY situation or if missing a member during a PAR check)
5. Use inappropriate numbering for unit (E10). Rather, use COG jurisdictional unit numbering (E410).

Page 10

Question 14

Noise during the communications process is grouped into what four categories?

Answer 14

1. Physical or external: high heat, sound of work (chainsaw, axes, sledgehammer, drills, porta power, sounds of running apparatus, etc), radio feedback from a crewmember standing too close while you are transmitting, PASS alarm that activates or the pinging sound the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus makes when the battery is low, crowd noise, car horns, traffic, airport, or trains.
2. Semantic: Confusing word choices.
3. Psychological: Preconception bias and assumptions that we all make regarding one another.
4. Physiological: Biological influences such as sweaty palms, pounding heart, anxiety, exhaustion, out of breath, feeling or being sick, hunger.

Pages 10 and 11.

Question 15

What is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s phonetic alphabet?

Answer 15

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whiskey
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

Page 11

Question 16

What does signal 1 mean?

Answer 16

Responder in immediate danger.

A signal one is declared when a responder believes that physical threats could cause the injury or death. Examples include: a citizen threatening a firefighter with a weapon, a combative patient, an emotionally disturbed person, etc.

Page 11.

Question 17

Any time a Signal 1 is declared or suspected; what FD resources shall be dispatched?

Answer 17

1. The closest suppression piece
2. EMS transport piece.
3. Battalion Chief
4. Safety Officer, if available.

Page 12

Question 18

What is the optimal placement of a radio while wearing structural firefighting gear?

Answer 18

1. Placement under the coat in a radio strap and case that is properly fitted to each user.
2. Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is donned with the portable radio in the leather case protruding below the coat line and canted away from the body.
3. The Remote Speaker Mic (RSM) cord and leather strap should be concealed under the coat.
4. The RSM should exit in the space between the top flap of the PPE coat and below the neck strap with minimal RSM cord exposure.
5. The RSM is recommended to be secured with an optional cord retractor which is easily accessible.

Page 13

Question 19

What are the 4 C’s of the communication model?

Answer 19

1. Connect
2. Convey
3. Clarify
4. Confirm

Page 19

Question 20

What information should be provided on the on-scene report?

Answer 20

1. Unit identification and side of structure apparatus is positioned.
2. Building height (number of stories above ground)
3. Occupancy type
4. Detailed report of conditions evident (to include side of the structure conditions are evident, quadrant located, and description of conditions).

Page 20

Question 21

What information should be provided after completing a lap?

Answer 21

1. Number of floors above grade in front
2. Number of floors above grade in rear.
3. Specific location of fire, if visible
4. Presence of basement, conditions present (if any), and location of access to the basement.
5. Label the floors
6. Any hazard observed
7. Presence of exposures, if any.
8. Occupant status, if able to obtain
9. Request additional resources, as needed.

Page 21

Question 22

To assist command with gathering information for the incident, a _____ report is a quick means of asking for a situation report.

What does each letter stand for?

Answer 22

C.A.N. report

Condition
Action
Needs

Page 22

Question 23

The initial progress report should be given at approximately how many minutes and contain what information?

What channel should this be done on?

Answer 23

10 minutes

Should include:

1. Confirm the address or location of the incident
2. Define the hazard
3. Define the building or involved area
4. Define strategic mode
5. Status of search
6. Define extend of involvement or hazard
7. .Describe the level of containment of the fire or hazard
8. Describe the fireground layout or operational area
9. Estimate time prediction for holding units.

All progress reports should be given on the command channel.

Page 22

Question 24

When should subsequent progress reports be given?

Answer 24

After each PAR check

Page 23

Question 25

What information should be given on a safety message on scene.

Answer 25

1. Type of safety issue
2. Location of Safety issue
3. Request tones to be sounded if desired by IC.

Page 23

Question 26

Search is negative means:

Answer 26

Primary or secondary search completed with no victims found.

Page 24

Question 27

Fully Involved means:

Answer 27

100% fire involvement indicating a defensive attack / no entry to IDLH

Page 24

Question 28

What is the difference between withdrawal and evacuate?

Answer 28

Withdrawal is a coordinated relocation of units and their equipment, operating from an area deemed untenable, to a specific area deemed safe to continue operations

Evacuate means that units without a hoseline will immediately remove themselves from the structure. The engine company should maintain a hoseline in place to protect the evacuation of those personnel.

Page 24

Question 29

In ready traffic, what is the difference between direct and acknowledge?

Answer 29

Direct is when a unit heard and understood traffic that was not directed at them.

Acknowledge (or Ok or copy) is when a unit heard and understood traffic directed at them.

Page 24

Question 30

What is the difference between MAYDAY, Emergency Traffic, and Signal-1?

Answer 30

Mayday is used for lost, trapped, or missing.

Emergency traffic is used to request for clear airtime to transmit emergency condition.

Signal 1 is used for imminent danger due to a life-threatening situation other than mayday.

Page 24

Question 31

When adding to a multi-unit response with a chief officer what should the unit OIC do?

Answer 31

This should happen only if the Unit OIC believes they are in a position to respond to arrive on the scene SIGNIFICANTLY before the dispatched unit(s).

The unit OIC will contact the dispatched command officer via the assigned response channel and announce their intent to respond, current location, and expected arrival order.

Command will advise if s/he will allow it and announce the change in assignment if applicable.

Page 25

Question 32

What does RRC stand for?

What are the 3 levels used by the NOVA departments and what does each mean?

Answer 32

Regional Response conditions or Routine Response Conditions.

Condition 1 - Normal operations are considered condition 1. During Condition 1, mutual and automatic aid is honored, calls are processed as normal, and responses are not adjusted or reduced.

Condition 2 - Condition 2 is used during periods of extended high incident activity or when one or more major events are taking place. A department may do into condition 2 during any day or night in which the call volume is unusually high.

Condition 3 - Is used when greater than 50% of department units are either committed to incidents or out of service. While in condition 3, responses will be reduced dramatically to conserve resources.

Page 29