SOGs-2-Communications Flashcards
What is the definition of trunking?
Two way radio system that allows sharing of a few radio channels among a large group of users
What is the definition of talk-around?
When portable or mobile signals that are unable to reach the relay sites “talk around” or “simplex” mode must be selected on the radio to allow for direct radio to radio communications
What position and toggle setting should all personals radios be set to?
Trunk position and ”A” setting
What steps should be taken before switching the radio to talk around mode?
Move 15 feet in any direction and re-transmit
Move as close as possible towards a window and re-transmit
Re-orientate the radio 90° in any direction and re-transmit
What is the drivers responsibility at a single apparatus incident when the crew is on talk around mode?
Temporarily switch the mobile radio to talk around to reply to the calling portable then go back to the trunk channel to maintain contact with fire control
What will the IC ensure if they order all radio communications to take place on talk around?
Their mobile radio remains on the trunked channel so they can maintain communication with FC
What does the IC need to do if they need to leave their vehicle and all radio communications are taking place on talk around?
Use two portable radios
one set on the trunk channel
one set on talk around
Who made the IC designate to remain on the trunked channel?
A permanently manned apparatus
When can on scene times be implemented?
Any incident as requested by IC
Automatically for structure fires
When do on scene times start?
With the arrival of the first apparatus at the incident scene
Who will announce on scene times to the IC?
Fire control
At what interval wIll on scene times be announced to IC by FC?
10 minute intervals
What does the IC need to reply after on-scene times are announced?
Acknowledge the on scene time Confirm the strategic mode Update on benchmarks
When do on scene times cease?
Once lost stoped has been achieved
The IC requests on scene times be terminated
What radios do Brampton, Mississauga & Caledon use?
New P 25 digital radio communication system
When did the ROP, Town of Caledon and cities of Brampton and Mississauga agree to begin the transition to the new radios?
The summer of 2014
Who shares the new P 25 digital trunk radio system?
PRP ROP Public Works Canadian border services Mississauga transit City of Mississauga Brampton Hydro The 3 fire emergency services
What does the new P 25 radio system consist of?
A 10 site repeater, simulcast and trucking network
What is Simulcast?
All transmit sites operate at the same time and that communications staff do not have to decide which transmit towers to use
What is trunking?
The automatic process of sharing frequencies between user groups
How many frequencies has the Peel system been licensed by industry Canada and how many are operational?
Licensed for 21
14 operational
What is each transmitter site in in the Peel system equipped with?
14 repeaters and control equipment
How are the transmitter sites interfaced and what is done to reduce multi site interference?
Interfaced by microwave links and synchronized using a rubidium atomic clock in combination with GPS satellites
What is an alternate name for a radio channel or frequency?
Talk group
What happens when the PTT button is released or after 60 seconds?
The frequency is released back into the pool of 14 available frequencies
Which radios are programmed to allow conversations with police or Works personnel and how can you tell these radios apart from all the others?
Only administration radios assigned to District Chiefs and senior staff. You can tell them apart because they are the radios with numeric keypads
Who’s channels are 1 - 4 & 10 and what is each for?
CH 1 Miss. dispatch and on air CH 2 Mississauga fire incident CH 3 Mississauga ninefire incident CH 4 Mississauga airport incident/overflow CH 10 Mississauga overflow
Who’s channels are channels 5 to 9 and what are they for?
CH 5 Bram/Cal dispatch & on air
CH 6 Brampton fire incidents
CH 7 Brampton non-fire incidents CH 8 Brampton/Caledon overflow
CH 9 Caledon incidents
What channel is channel 11,12 admin and MAJ2?
CH 11 training frequency for Brampton Mississauga and Caledon (not recorded)
CH 12 Mississauga’s fire prevention only
ADMIN senior officers channel
MAJ 2 police/fire/works group
When should the talk around or simplex frequency be used?
Only when the radio user is unable to communicate on the system repeater channel
What is the range between portables and mobiles when in talk around mode?
1/2 mile - 2 miles max depending on conditions
True or false: the emergency button function does not work in talk around mode.
True
Talk around ________is same frequency/channel as talk around five
Nine
Talk around ________ is the same frequency/channel as talk around 1
10
True or false: in order to establish communications a portable radio signal must not reach one of the transmitter sites.
False
It must reach one of the transmitter sites
When is scan enabled on portable radios?
Position A and Position B
it is turned off in Position C
What are the three conditions that could cause a bonk tone to be heard when pressing to talk?
System is busy
out of range
system down
True or false: the yellow XTS portable radios are waterproof.
False
they are only water resistant
What is a fail soft?
The system stops trunking causing several user groups to be combined onto one frequency
What would be the channel groupings during a failsoft event?
Channels 1 to 4 and 10 or Mississauga admin
Channels 5 to 9 or Brampton admin
The additional talk group MAJ2 on the admin radios
What will the radio do during a fail soft event?
The radio will beep every 10 seconds and show feel soft on the display
What is to be done if a portable is confirmed to be lost or stolen?
The officer should notify BFES communications division chief ASAP
They will remove the identification code from the system to disable the portable
When are portable radio batteries to be alternated?
At each changeover prior to radio checks
What is the difference between a mobile and a portable radio in regards to the zone and scan options?
The mobile will use a two position zone button instead of a dial
The mobile scan on/off is a separate scan button instead of the toggle switch
What is the home button on the mobile radio?
When pushed and held for 2 seconds will bring the radio back to channel 5 for Brampton/Caledon
channel one for Mississauga
Describe the volume button on the mobile radio
Has a green circle on it
Push to turn the radio on/off
Turning this dial controls volume
What is the XMIT/BUSY control on the mobile radio?
These indicators will show the status of the radio. Transmit or receive mode
What is the talk around control on the mobile radio?
Allows the user to select either talk around or repeater mode Same function as the zone selection dial on the portable
The scan on/off button on the mobile radio is for what?
Turn scan function on or off.
As with the portables, the mobile only scans the Symplex channel associated with the repeater channel that the radio is currently set to.
Scan should always be on unless an external interference requires it to be turned off.
What is a function of the channel select dial on the mobile radio?
Can be turned infinitely and cycles through the programmed channels as it is turned
When are emergency buttons on portables tested?
The first Saturday of every month on a station rotation basis as well as a channel rotation
In the order for transmit override which is the lowest priority and which is the highest priority?
Number 1 is the lowest priority Number 4 is the highest priority
In a transmit override what is priority 1?
Mobile or portable
In a transmit override what is priority 2?
Portable emerge mode
In a transmit override what is priority 3?
General transmit button or footpedal – dispatchers console
In a transmit override what is priority 4?
Instant transmit button (includes multi select or patch transmit buttons) - dispatchers console
How many minutes have been allotted for a CAD move up unit to arrive at the assigned station or within the response zone where the vacant station is
9 - 13 minutes
How many minutes are allotted for a truck to arrive on scene?
4 - 6 minutes
How many minutes allotted for a brief initial report and to establish command?
1 - 2 minutes
How many minutes are allotted for the move up apparatus to arrive at a vacant station or within the response zone?
4 - 5 minutes
Based on the CAD move up system what does the nature of the incident report determine?
Necessitate move ups
Return units to their stations
What are the responsibilities of the fire fighting captain of a move up apparatus?
Ensure personal assigned to that apparatus respond immediately Acknowledge the move up via the apparatus radio
What are the six criteria that would necessitate a CAD move up
Once command has been established and does not release other responding apparatus
Once command has been established and has been committed to an emergency operation When the status of apparatus returning to station is out of service
When apparatus are taken out of service for department business
With numerous incoming calls are received reporting a serious emergency
Once the crew arrives on scene and advises ”patient VSA starting defib protocol”
True or false: optimal coverage is priority and having one truck cover two stations at these times is acceptable
True
When responding to an incident what does the first responding Captain (presumed closest to the destination) report to fire control?
Fire control, Aerial 207 is on the way to 24 Vodden Street, house fire, all belted
What is the response to fire control of all other responding captains when dispatched to a multivehicle incident?
Fire control, Aeriel 207 is on the way. All belted
What does the first responding captain (presumed closest fire officer to the destination) reply when dispatch provides an update to the responding apparatus?
They are to acknowledge the update and paraphrase the information back to the dispatcher
What do all of the responding captains do when dispatch provides an update to responding apparatus?
They are not required to acknowledge the update but may do so if required to confirm missed information
What is a missing communications equipment form?
An electronic form found on the share point site that is used to document missing communications equipment
What is a defective communications equipment form?
An electronic form found on the share point site that is used to document defective communications equipment
What is high priority equipment?
Any equipment that is critical to emergency operations
What are station missing/defective equipment boards?
Whiteboards mounted in the fire station, used to communicate the status of equipment
What is the process that needs to be followed upon discovery of missing equipment?
Personnel shall refer to station missing/defective equip boards
If no entry has been made on the station missing/defective board they shall contact all stations to have a visual search completed
If a visual search is unsuccessful the person shall return to the suspected location where the equipment may have been left to conduct a search
What is the process if a portable radio has not been located during daily checks?
Captain will call communications and the whiteboard in communications will be updated
A missing communications equipment form shall be completed by the captain
The missing communications equipment shall be added to the station missing/defective board. Once returned or replaced the entry shall be removed
What do you platoon chiefs and division chiefs do you were notified of missing equipment?
Conduct investigation if the value of the missing equipment exceeds $300
Approve replacement of equipment after ensuring all procedures have been completed Send the missing communications equipment form electronically to the division chief of communications or designate for purchasing
What does communications do upon receipt of a defective communications equipment form?
What does communications do upon receipt of a missing communications equipment form?
Arrange for the repairs on a priority basis
Replace the equipment and update the SharePoint
What is the process of using the MDU for all emergency calls or apparatus status changes?
The use of MDU buttons is mandatory for all emergency calls and all apparatus status changes The MDU button will be pressed before a corresponding radio transmission is made
