Radio Call Signs

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Rural Fire Brigades

Call signs are used by Rural Brigades to identify radios within radio networks. For years they have consisted of the Brigade name and a number but no standard system was ever adopted. A standardised system has now been introduced by the Rural Fire Operations to allow for uniform identification for appliances and personnel across the state.

Rural Headquarters:- All HQ callsigns will be prefixed with an alpha prefix "Quebec Romeo".[ We presume that it stands for Qld.Rural ]. Examples:- Quebec Romeo Maleny, Quebec Romeo Glasshouse.

Officers:- Rural Brigades have more than one officer in their command structure.

Fire Trucks/Appliances:- This structure identifies the water carrying or usage of the vehicle.

Rural Brigade Callsigns will commence with their Brigade name and then a numerical identifier as shown below.

Command Personnel	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Light Appliance	41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49
Medium Appliance	51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59
Heavy Appliance	61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69
Ex-Urban Appliance	13
Troop Carrier	14
Miscellaneous	15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 (trailers) 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 (slip-ons)
Water Tanker	70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80

Examples of Rural Fire Brigade callsigns.

For example: -

Firecom North Coast this is Coochin 1 (1st Officer) over,

Firecom North Coast to Coochin 1 (1st Officer) over,

This is Coochin 1, commencing hazard reduction Coochin brigade area over,

Firecom North Coast to Coochin 1 (1st Officer) acknowledged, zero six thirty-five.

For example

Firecom North Coast this is Coochin 41 (1st light appliance) over,

Firecom North Coast to Coochin 41 (1st light appliance) over,

This is Coochin 41, responding to grassfire at Beerwah Primary School over,

Roger Coochin 41, acknowledged, responding, sixteen forty-seven.

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Urban Fire Brigades

The state is divided up into a number of Regions and the Region number forms the first digit of the callsign, except for the Firecom centre.

REGION NAME & NUMBER	LOCATION	COMMUNICATION CENTRE CALLSIGN
Northern Region 1	Townsville	Firecom Northern
Central Region 2	Rockhampton	Firecom Central
South Western Region 3	Toowoomba	Firecom South West
North Coast Region 4	Kawana	Firecom North Coast
Brisbane Region 5	Brisbane	Firecom Brisbane
South Eastern Region 6	Southport	Firecom South East
Far Northern Region 7	Cairns	Firecom Far Northern

Fire Communication Centres

Base station call signs consist of "Firecom" followed by the region name of the communications centre.

Fire Stations

Fire Stations are numbered uniquely within each region from 1 - 99.

Example:- Maleny station in Region 4 is 484.

Mobile unit callsigns (Appliances)

All QFRS mobile appliances require unique call signs to be identifiable anywhere within the state.

Thus their call signs will commence with the region identifier, i.e. 1 - 7, followed by the regional station number and an alpha character to identify the type of appliance and their primary role. (See list below)

101- 199	Northern Region
201- 299	Central Region
301- 399	South West Region
401- 499	North Coast Region
501 - 599	Brisbane Region
601 - 699	South East Region
701 - 799	Far Northern Region
801- 899	State Appliances (i.e. Academy)
901 - 999	Spare (future numbers if required)

PRIMARY ROLE	APPLIANCE TYPE	ALPHA IDENTIFIER
PUMPER	RESCUE PUMPER	A-B
	PUMPER	C-D
	4X4 PUMPER	E
	HAZMAT PUMPER	F
AERIALS	TURNTABLE LADDER	G
	HYDRAULIC PLATFORM	H
	LADDER PLATFORM	I
	TELESCOPIC AERIAL PUMPER	J
RESCUE	EMERGENCY TENDER	K
	TECHNICAL RESCUE	L
	COMMAND & RESCUE UNIT	M
	SPARE	N
HAZMAT	BA & HAZMAT RESPONSE UNIT	O
	BA SUPPORT UNIT	P
	HAZMAT SUPPORT UNIT	Q
	BA & HAZMAT SUPPORT UNIT	S
COMMS	COMMAND & CONTROL UNIT	T
	COMMUNICATIONS UNIT	U
SPECIALS	TANKER	V
	FOAM	W
	FACILITIES UNIT	X
	URBAN LIGHT ATTACK	Y
	(IE.iZone vehicles)
	SPARE	Z

Examples of callsigns for urban/auxiliary appliances:

412A Region 4, Station 12, 1st Rescue Pumper

229C Region 2, Station 29, 1st Non Rescue Pumper

711I Region 7, Station 11, Ladder Platform

645M Region 6, Station 45, Command and Rescue

550O Region 5, Station 50, BA & Hazmat Response

525Y Region 5, Station 25, 1st Urban Light Attack

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STANDARD INCIDENT CODES

CODE

NUMBER CODE DESCRIPTION

___________________________________________________________________________

Code 1 Arrived at scene - nothing in evidence, investigating further.

Optional: the address of the incident

Code 2 Arrived at scene - incident in evidence

Provide brief descriptor on arrival cg. Location and comments

to confirm nature of the incident

* Code 2 Bruce Hwy, 3 car MVA (see below)

* Code 2, 12 Aberdeen Ave, House Fire (see below)

Examples for standard incident types:

* Grass Fire / size / action / resources required / time

* Structure Fire / action / resources required

* Vehicle Fire / what is involved / action / resources required

* MVA / number of vehicles / action / resources required

Other incident types:

* Hazmat: Code 2 / type / size / action / resources required

* Rescue: Code 2 / type / action / resources required

Code 4 Leaving an incident, brief description, available for turnout, returning to station.

Note: An appliance leaving the incident with another appliance

remaining on scene is also to use this code to indicate that it is

returning to station and is available for turnout. (The remaining

appliance will still be investigating the incident).

Code 5 Returned to Home Station.

Note: If returning to standby station "Returned to standby station 31

Code 6 Incident (refers to any type of incident) is a malicious false alarm.

Area has been checked, no signs of fire or reported incident, notify police

(if required), returning to station, available for turnout.

Code 7 Returning to station. Unit is NOT available for turnout.

(Give reason for unavailability).

Code 8 Arrived at incident, checking with QFRS Officer-in-Charge.

Code 9 A casualty has been located.

If there is more than one casualty add a number.

Code 9, 2 Alpha (2 casualties)

If there are any deceased persons add letter C

Unless advised by the "C", all casualties are presumed alive,

however, if necessary the letter A (alive) may be added to ensure understanding.

Code 9, Charlie (one deceased)

Code 9, 1 Alpha 1 Charlie (1 alive and 1 deceased)

Code 9, 2 Alpha 3 Charlie (2 alive and 3 deceased)

Note: If Police and/or Ambulance have not arrived at the incident,

Firecom will advise Police and Ambulance Operations of the number

and type of casualties.

Code 11 Justifiable False Alarm. Returning to Station. Available for turnout.

This includes all justifiable calls.

Code 12 Avoidable false alarms. Returning to Station. Available for turnout.

(Charging for these incidents needs to be incorporated.)

Code 20 High-rise procedure in use.

Note: Only to be used by mobile units, message should include why

it is being initiated. For example:

* Investigation;

* Life rescue; or

* Fire fighting purposes, and what action is being taken

Code 30 Mobile unit identified is to proceed (or is proceeding) to the incident

at normal road speed, without lights or siren.

Code40 Mobile unit to whom this message is directed is not required at the incident.

The mobile unit is then changed to "Left Incident" (Ll) status on FireCAD,

is removed from the incident at Firecom, and assumed to

be available for turnout.

Code 99 A major or critical incident is occurring.

It indicates first attending crews may be initially overwhelmed by

immediate operational requirements such as life rescue or evacuation,

or where the dynamics, size or complexity of the incident are of an unusual scale.

The code indicates that significant resources will be required to

investigate the situation (i.e. CBR incident, building collapse,

commercial plane crash, major high-rise fire)

Code Red Procedure or RED RED RED

Code Red procedure is used during heavy radio traffic to allow the transmission of

messages which are considered to be life critical in nature.

'Red, Red, Red' is an interruption device and indicated that a mobile unit or the

Firecom Centre has a critical message and requires clear access to the network.

All other units are to cease transmitting.

'Code Red' is initiated by the Firecom Centre and is an instruction to all mobile units

to maintain radio silence until the code red procedure is lifted.

[ With acknowledgement to QFRS ]

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