Butler Regional Interoperable Communications System

1. Butler Regional Interoperable Communications System Operational Training Butler County, Ohio User training for Fire / EMS dispatched by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office

2. Who can I talk to? • Almost anyone. • Every police, fire and EMS agency in Butler County will be using the same radios and radio system. • Talkgroups from neighboring county systems and the state MARCS radio system will be in your radio for interoperability.

3. Commonality between Agencies The first talkgroup in Zone A is the Agency Main and Emergency Revert talkgroup on each template in the county. A common naming structure is used for all talkgroups on the system. The same talkgroup can generally be found in the same place for all templates. Closely mirrored template between law enforcement and fire/EMS

4. Standardized Talkgroup Naming • Every talkgroup belonging to a political subdivision or dispatch center starts with a two letter abbreviation • (SO for SO Dispatch, WC for West Chester, OX for Oxford, BC for county-wide shared talkgroup, etc.) • After the political subdivision / dispatch center, two letters indicate the discipline using the talkgroup • (LE for Law Enforcement, FD for Fire/EMS, PW for Public Works, etc.) • Following that is the type of talkgroup • (MAIN for a dispatch talkgroup, OPS for a monitored operational talkgroup, TAC for a tactical non-monitored talkgroup, etc.) • “WC LE OPS2” is a West Chester law enforcement ops talkgroup in the second position of the zone.

5. Shared Talkgroups • Talkgroups shared between all Butler County dispatch centers start with “BC” • Incident talkgroups shared by all law enforcement: • “Area Wide” talkgroups (BC AW) • Incident talkgroups shared by all fire / EMS agencies: • “Fireground” talkgroups (BC FG) • Incident talkgroups shared by everyone on the system (public safety, public works, government): • “Mutual Aid” talkgroups (BC MA)

6. Zone A - Local • A1: SO’s main fire/EMS dispatch talkgroup • A2: Alternate dispatch talkgroup for SO FD • A3: Alternate dispatch talkgroup for SO FD • A4: Your local government’s common channel If your township or village brings other users online (i.e. road crew, admin), they would share this with you • A5-A15: County-wide Fireground talkgroups Shared by every fire/EMS agency and all nine dispatch centers for incidents • A16: County-wide Fireground reserved for mayday situations, as defined by the county mayday policy

7. How we’ll use SO FD OPS 2 / 3 • SO FD OPS 2 and OPS 3 are considered alternate dispatch talkgroups. • The dispatcher may, depending on call volume, assign single-unit calls to an alternate talkgroup for their status changes (i.e. all EMS calls) to an OPS talkgroup. • This will keep SO FD MAIN clear for dispatching additional calls. • Useful for busy times, like storms. • OPS 2 and OPS 3 are only shared by fire and EMS dispatched by BCSO. • They aren’t good for incidents because users from other dispatch centers can’t talk to you on them.

8. How will we use Firegrounds? • The main dispatch talkgroup (SO FD MAIN) is primarily reserved for field unit to dispatcher communication. • Fireground talkgroups (BC FG) will be assigned to an incident for unit to unit communication. • Status changes (enroute, on scene, etc) and requests of the dispatcher will be made on the main dispatch talkgroup, or OPS 2 / OPS 3, if assigned.

9. Talkgroup assignments always come from a dispatcher, because they are the only ones who can track the status of all the talkgroups. You can always request an alternate – the dispatcher will tell you if (and which one) is available. Firegrounds will be assigned at the time of dispatch. They will be assigned for any multi-unit response. Most calls, except single-squad EMS calls, will have a Fireground. “Milford Township Fire Department, Seven Mile Life Squad … (dispatch info) … respond on Main and use Fireground 7” “…respond on OPS 2 and use Fireground 5” When will Firegrounds be assigned? “…respond on (where you’ll talk to dispatch) and use (where you’ll talk between units at your incident)”

10. Recommendation • Always leave your mobile (vehicle) radio on the dispatch talkgroup. Use it for your status changes. • Turn your portables to the assigned incident talkgroup (i.e. BC FG 5). This will eliminate feedback with the dispatch talkgroup while you are in the truck. • When you get on scene, your portable will be ready to use between the incident commander and responders on the assigned incident talkgroup.

11. Changing Channels • The dispatcher must know what talkgroup you are using at all times for your safety. • Tell dispatch when you will not be on the main talkgroup. • Tell them when you have switched back. • Example: • E131: 9COM, Engine 131, we’re switching to BC CALLING to call Oxford. • E131: Engine 131, back on main.

12. Requesting an Alternate • If you need another channel, it must be requested. Communications keeps track of which are available and must confirm. • Example: • M211: 9COM, Medic 211, requesting an alternate channel for this incident • 9COM: Medic 211, use Fireground 9 • M211: Medic 211, Fireground 9

13. Zone B – Mutual Aid County-wide “Mutual Aid” talkgroups are in Zone B of every radio on the system. They provide 16 more talkgroups on which we can assign a fire or any incident involving fire with law enforcement or public works. They are the best place to assign a pre-planned event with multiple agencies (i.e. football game, festival). They are provided to neighboring counties who want them so they can interoperate with us.

14. BC Calling and BC Talk • “BC Calling” is a county-wide calling talkgroup monitored by all nine dispatch centers • Any user can call any center for help or to report a problem (an Oxford user reporting a traffic crash to Hamilton while passing through their city) • Extended conversations will be offloaded to side channels called “BC TALK” 2 through 4 • Included in every radio on the system

15. Zone C County-wide calling talkgroup in C-1 Three places to assign user-to-user conversations in C2, C3, C4. ER talkgroups provide direct communication between EMS and hospital emergency departments. BC FD (Agency Number) provides alerting only. Currently set up for staffed depts: FT, LT, MR, RO and SC. Future upgrade will enable for all agencies. Conventional Mutual Aid channels at the bottom of the zone can be used outside of our radio system. D = Direct / Simplex

16. Zone D Butler County public safety tactical talkgroups are located in Zone D for all law enforcement, fire and EMS users. They areencrypted. They can be used for incidents.

17. Zone E - Scanning Zone E contains “Main” talkgroups from other fire agencies (and SO law enforcement) that you can, depending on policy, program to scan. You may not transmit on them. BC FD INFO is the “all county broadcast” talkgroup that you may scan for information from dispatch centers. Conventional Mutual Aid channels (set up for repeater operation, allowing better coverage to use during system trouble – repeaters coming 2010)

18. Other Systems in Your Radio • In other zones, the radio contains: • Hamilton County • Cincinnati • Warren County • Montgomery County • Ohio MARCS (OSP, ODNR, OIU, ODOT, EMA etc) for use in emergencies, when directed by a dispatcher.

19. Medical Helicopters • Landing zone coordinators should communicate from ground to helicopter using a simplex (direct) frequency.  • In the 800MHz band, the national mutual aid frequencies (also known as NPSPAC frequencies) are the standard for ground to helicopter coordination. • BRICS is rebanded and uses the rebanded mutual aid frequencies • 8 CALL 90, and • 8 TAC 91D through 8 TAC 94D • These direct, tactical frequencies are found in the bottom of Zone C in your radio.  • Normally, 8 TAC 92D or 8 TAC 94D would be assigned for helicopter communication.

20. Important: The medical helicopters serving our area do not yet have the rebanded mutual aid frequencies in their radios.  To bridge the gap, we’ve placed the old, pre-rebanded frequencies in your radios temporarily. These pre-rebanded frequencies 8i CALL 8i TAC 1D through 8i TAC4D have been added temporarily in your Zone Y. Until further notice, expect to use 8i TAC 2D or 8i TAC 4D when communicating with medical helicopters. Medical Helicopters - Temporary

21. Repairs All radio / accessory repairs will be done at Butler County’s communications building at 1810 Princeton Road. Drop it off there. They will return it and/or give you a replacement. The radios are property of Butler County. Equipment issued to you is your responsibility. Radio, batteries, microphone, chargers. Equipment lost or stolen must be reported to the county.

22. Get: Radio Templates Training Materials User Guides Submit service requests to radio staff Stay up to date on latest system news and policy / training updates Visit butlersheriff.org/radio