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RADIO NUMBERING |
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On the Radio.... YOU MIGHT HEAR... If you don't hear the Department name, or recognize the voice, good luck.... Maybe you hear part of it.... *Note: Falmouth has not made switch yet (thankfully) CHIEFS ASST CHIEF / DEPUTY SHIFT COMMAND - DUTY OFFICER AMBULANCES ENGINES LADDERS BRUSH - FORESTRY - TANKERS MISCELLANEOUS THERE IS MORE YOU GET THE IDEA.... BETTER WAY |
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| THE CASE FOR USING RADIO NUMBERS I Could, and Would, make the Case for Using Radio Numbers all day long. In fact, after about 50 years, or so, of desperately trying to make sense out of the numbers we were given, I had proposed a REORGANIZING and Renumbering of Apparatus and Equipment several years ago, in hopes of solving a problem that has existed as long as I have been listening to the Fire Radio on Cape Cod. The radio system, with its built in limitation of available numbers, that were often randomly assigned, with no particular logic or meaning, was pretty hard to explain or understand. The challenges have only gotten harder as departments have grown and many new users try to understand it. As a young listener in the 1970s, I once used hand typed Lists taped to my bedroom wall as a reference when I heard something on the radio. In 1992 and 1995, I put together some pretty awesome books "Directories" that enabled me to share that information with like minded radio listeners. Unfortunately, keeping information up to date even back then was a lot of work, while working and raising a family. That is why in 2000, I was excited to use this new thing called the Internet to share information, make up to date changes, share photos, and really create something special with CapeCodFD. I had no idea what to do, but have invested much of my available time and resources into it for about 25 years and counting. So here we are now approaching September 1, 2025. For a variety of reasons, probably based on the same frustrations we all have always long experienced, some Leaders have decided it is time to abandon that "old" Radio Numbering System by "dropping the use of County Radio Numbers" in favor of a different way of identifying Apparatus and Equipment. Time will tell, whether this change is an actual improvement, or simply creates other challenges. So for the Record, here I present some of my Proposal and the Reasoning behind it for future reference. It may or may not be the end all, but was meant to stimulate discussion and solutions. Perhaps, some day, if needed,
this may be worth consideration. |
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| THE BOTTOM LINE It is my belief that each and every UNIT, whether Apparatus or Equipment, should have its own Unique Radio Identification Number or unit ID. Not to be confused with any other in the system. The Number should provide as much information as possible in the most efficient and understandable way. It must convey a clear, easily recognized way of Identifying what something is Visually on the vehicle, on the Radio, in Databases, Photos, and other means of tracking it, so that the information is unmistakable and useful. That number should 1) IDENTIFY THE DEPARTMENT 2) IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF UNIT 3) IDENTIFY THE ASSIGNMENT 4) USE COMMON TERMINOLOGY 5) BE AS CONCISE AS POSSIBLE 5) BE EASY TO FIGURE OUT, TEACH, AND RECOGNIZE AT A GLANCE |
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| CAPECODFD.COM CapeCodFD is not, and never has been an "official" anything. It has done its best to fairly and accurately represent information about each of the departments covered for over 25 years. By gathering otherwise hard to obtain information and images about the various departments, CapeCodFD has served a strong roll in helping many people understand each of the agencies covered. It is essentially a "one man show" with the goal of sharing many of the photos and information that have been documented in my life around these Fire Departments. A Labor of Love in every way. As a long time Dispatcher, as well as Firefighter, Paramedic, Officer, and occasional Incident Commander, I have a long appreciation for effective radio communications. As a photographer, scanner listener, historian, and web site developer, I also have an appreciation for preserving and organizing much of the history associated with everything. To me, all of the perspectives and resources have significant value that should be shared. Keeping track of large amounts of information, and especially "tons" of historic images is not an easy task. It has required some good decisions, some mistakes, and a lot of work. The prospect of any or all of that going to waste is not an option, but is is ultimately a reality unless it can be preserved somehow. So bare with me, as I try to share some thoughts, based on experiences, that might help others. CapeCodFD has simply been a tool. Formed out of my own necessity to keep track of Radio Numbers and what they represented. Chief John Jenkins suggested one day that "I was the guy to keep track of all this.... stuff." So, I have done the best I can to do so. The website has been a valuable source of information for everyone. Part of being organized is using lists and other ways of organizing, labeling, and finding information when needed. CapeCodFD was built largely on the List of County radio numbers, simply out of a need to use something that was relative to tying images, information, radio communications, history, and everything else together. It was not perfect, but a functional way of keeping things straight. As a result, I have thought long and hard about how the numbering system could be improved on to make more sense and be able to be understood when my time is up some day. So, I hope that some of this gets people thinking, and perhaps making improvements some day. |
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| ALPHABETICAL LISTS Alphabetical lists are very common and logical. It is not unusual to take a Full Alphabetical Name and abbreviate it to reduce work and space used. CapeCodFD ran into a number of challenges behind the scenes using Alphabetical. While minor in appearance, changing the wrong file name at the wrong time (even just a little) can quickly destroy a website. Having duplicate names can overwrite other files. So from the website perspective, in addition to some computer issues, I am trying to keep things going.... So how things are named matters. Examples: To use an Alphabetical List of Departments on the Cape, to assign Unit Radio IDs would be very complicated to remember, jumping all over the Cape in no apparent pattern. Similarly, listing all the Apparatus Alphabetically by Department or type would limit some search and categorizing opportunities. As multiple A1s and E1s are added over time, keeping track of what is what gets very messy. So, what about the numbers?
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| NUMERICAL LIST Just as common and logical, is the use of Numerical Lists. If done right, they can provide meaning, be sorted, organized by groups and types, and other useful purposes. For historic reference, it is my educated conclusion that the "County Radio Numbers" used since about 1960, were distributed NOT ALPHABETICALLY and NOT NUMERICALLY. In other words, they were not assigned in any particular manner that makes sense today. As departments eventually got their own Radio Frequencies, they commonly called themselves their local ID such as "Car 1, Rescue 1, or Engine 1" on Fire Alarm, and used the assigned "County Number" to avoid confusion during Mutual Aid and for tracking In and Out of Service units by the Mutual Aid Center. At the time, the original radio system (one frequency, used by all departments and apparatus in the County), originated with the State Forest Fire Service. When a few progressive Fire Chiefs at the time recognized the need to use NUMBERS instead of "Car 1 to Engine 1" on the radio, they were assigned by the FCC CALL SIGNS OF THE DEPARTMENTS. Somewhat as follows.... COUNTY NUMBERS DEPT CALL SIGN
DEPARTMENT You would think that a
number should represent something. But without enough numbers to
choose from, how do you make all Ladder Trucks end with a 7 or all
Engines with numbers that coincided with the station numbers. It was
NEVER POSSIBLE from the beginning. MULTIPLE UNIT NUMBERS
SOLUTIONS Some departments tried Placards that could be changed if vehicles were taken out of service or relocated, but that still had issues. Rather than a County wide, one
time REORGANIZING THE SYSTEM, departments tried to find their own
ways of making things work. But, unless everyone works together in a
similar way, how do you keep it organized and meaningful? |
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| NEW PLAN As of September 1, 2025, the County Fire Chiefs are implementing a plan that tries to solve the radio communications issues with something that seems to make sense in many ways. Departments have long ago stopped using the "FCC Call Sign" in favor of the Department Name. So on the County Channel the departments were know by name: Barnstable Fire, Bourne Fire, Brewster Fire, etc... Alphabetical listing. On Fire Alarm, most are known as FIRE ALARM or even better BREWSTER FIRE ALARM to be exact. The New Plan calls for that to continue. Apparatus, previously identified by the County Number, will be adopting a similar name that describes it more precisely. ie BREWSTER ENGINE 1 or HYANNIS AMBULANCE 2. It is recommended that this clear language be used ALL THE TIME on the radio. While it had not started
yet, and if done as recommended, it may sound something like
this.... On Mutual Aid, it
may sound like.... That is pretty clear, but as time goes by, how will that shorten up and still maintain clarity? Too many words sometimes take up too much air time, especially when emergency situations come up. So time will tell how it may evolve. Unfortunately, by design, it is hard to shorten the communication without risking miscommunication. We will find out
pretty soon, whether it works or not.... |
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| CAPECODFD PROPOSAL My Proposal, which attempts to address some of the know issues, would go something like this...
1. IDENTIFY DEPARTMENTS DEPARTMENT IDENTITY The Districts Mid Cape Lower Cape Miscellaneous 2. IDENTIFY UNITS & ASSIGNMENT
3. COMMON TERMINOLOGY Whatever the agreed on pattern, designed to last the longest, would be part of making the numbers easy to figure out, sort, display on vehicles themselves, and reduce some of the amount of chatter on the radio. "Brewster Fire, 13 41 Responding...." Says the same thing as "Brewster Fire Alarm, Brewster Squad Engine 1 Responding" "Hyannis Fire, 8 62 Enroute CCH... " Says the same as "Hyannis Fire Alarm from Hyannis Ambulance 2 en route to CCH" "16 38 from 14 21, water is on the way...." Says the same as "Orleans Tower 1 from Harwich Engine 2, water is on the way..." Let the NUMBER SAY THE MOST, WITH THE LEAST if possible. There are probably other, better ways to do things. But, I have not yet seen them. August 30, 2025 /
Update September 15, 2025 |
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