Basic REDCOM Communications PPBasic REDCOM
Communications
ROHNERT PARK DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
C.QUINN #475
Redwood Empire Dispatch Communications Authority
LRA –Local Response Area
Lands on which neither the state or federal government has any legal
responsibility for providing fire protection.
These lands are covered by local government agencies such as; SRFD,
GRFD, RPDPS, WFPD, etc.
LRA –Local Response Area
These departments are primarily dispatched to incidents via REDCOM in
most jurisdictions.
REDCOM is the central ordering point for any additional resources for
incidents in the LRA.
SRA –State Response AREA
These are lands on which the state government has legal responsibility for
providing fire protection
These areas are typically watershed areas, timber areas or areas with
natural resource value to the state.
Dispatching of resources to incidents in the SRA in Sonoma County is the
responsibility of the Cal Fire ECC (Saint Helena).
FRA –Federal Responsibility Area
Lands on which the federal government has legal responsibility for
providing fire protection.
These are usually national forests or other areas with natural resource value
to the United States.
Sonoma County does have FRA areas but they are covered by local
government and state agencies.
MTZ –Mutual Threat Zone
A geographical area between two or more jurisdictions into which all
agencies would respond on initial attack in the event of a fire.
Communication on REDCOM
Clear text is the form of radio communication used on REDCOM
No police codes except a few exceptions:
-Code 2: urgent no lights or sirens
-Code 3: Respond with lights and sirens
-Code 4: No further assistance needed
-Code 6: start law enforcement
Unit Identifiers
Fire services within Sonoma County, with the exception of Cal Fire and
Santa Rosa, use a four digit identifier.
First two numbers identify the agency.
The third and fourth number identify the type of resource and apparatus
number.
Identifiers
00-19 –Chief Officers
“2” –Prevention
“3” –Rescues and Support units
“4” –Utilities
“5” –Trucks
“6/7” –Type 3 Engines
“8” –Type 1 Engines
“9” –Water Tenders
Exceptions
Santa Rosa Fire: Instead they use “Truck 1” or “Engine 8” etc.
Cal Fire: First two digits represent the Cal Fire units and the last two digits
are the units assigned resource number.
Some Agencies use a generic number to identify their Battalion or Duty
Chief. (B81, B91, or DC29)
What does “REDCOM” do?
REDCOM maintains accurate resource status to allow for rapid dispatch of
resources to new or updated events.
REDCOM pre-alters departments of incoming calls with a double alert
tone.
REDCOM then states Responding agency, event type, and street name
REDCOM then will give a full dispatch: Resource, Nature, Location, Repeat
location with different numerical method, Cross street, Map box number,
Radio channels, Current time.
Control Channels
Control channels maintain accurate resource and incident status.
They act upon requests from units in the field and provide incident information to resources.
There are three control channels: 2, 3, 4
Control 2 –typically handles zones 4, 5, 6, 8
Control 3 –typically handles zones 7
Control 4 –typically handles zones 3 and 9
Tactical Channels
Tactical channels are used by incident management personnel and
resources operation on the scene of incidents.
Sonoma County (XSN)
XSN TAC 1-3, 5, 7-9, 11-14 are for use on incidents within Sonoma County.
Cal Fire (CDF)
CDF TAC 6 and 10 are for use on SRA and MTZ incidents within the Lake-
Napa Unit.
Review
LRA –Local Response Area
SRA –State Response Area
FRA –Federal Response Area
MTZ –Mutual Threat Zone
Review Cont.
Code 2 –urgent, no lights and sirens
Code 3 –lights and sirens
Code 4 –no additional help needed
Code 6 –requesting Law Enforcement
Review Cont.
00-19 –Chief Officers
“2” –Prevention
“3” –Rescues and Support units
“4” –Utilities
“5” –Trucks
“6/7” –Type 3 Engines
“8” –Type 1 Engines
“9” –Water Tenders
Review Cont.
REDCOM maintains accurate resource status to allow for rapid dispatch of
resources to new or updated events.
Control channels maintain accurate resource and incident status.
They act upon requests from units in the field and provide incident
information to resources.
There are three control channels: 2, 3, 4
Tactical channels are used by incident management personnel and
resources operation on the scene of incidents.
End of REDCOM
Communications