Live Scanner Listening Guide

While you listen to our companies in action, this page will provide you with an explanation of the unit designations, response levels, and special operations responses.          

            Dispatches

                Still Alarm Tone

                      Single straight tone signifies a single company response.

                Box Alarm Tone

                      “Bee-Bop” tone signifies a multi-company response.

 

             Operations Channels & Unit Designations:

We currently utilize 7 operations (Fireground) channels (Bravo-Hotel) with several others that can be instituted during major emergencies.  The Telecommunicator (Dispatcher) will assign the responding unit(s) an operations channel upon dispatch for them to use for the entire incident.

Dispatch Center: "Alarm"                        Hazardous Materials Units: "Haz-Mat"

          Battalion Chiefs: "Battalion"                  Water Rescue Units: "Dive" & "Boat "

          Engine Company: "Engine"                   Urban Search & Rescue Units: "USAR"

          Ladder Company: "Ladder"                   Wildland units: "Brush"

          Rescue Squad: "Rescue"                        Water Tenders: "Tanker"

      CFD Responses

Still Alarm Assignments:

 Apparatus Response

Medicals

Vehicle Fires

Dumpster Fires

Power line calls

Carbon Monoxide Incidents

Odors of Gas or Smoke in the Area, MVA’s, etc.

 

 1 Engine

or

  1 Ladder

               

Box Alarm Assignments:

  Apparatus Response

Fire Alarms
(Residential & Commercial)

1 Engine  &
1 Ladder

Structural Fires

Natural Gas Leaks

Odor/Smoke interior, etc.

 

Working Fire
Response

 

Extra Alarms
2nd or greater
(excluding special operations response units.)

3 Engines
1 Ladder
1 Battalion Chief

 

 

1 Battalion Chief
1 Engine (RIT)1 Rescue

1 Battalion Chiefs
3 Engines
1 Ladder
 

 

High Risk Assignments:
 

  Apparatus Response

High Rises

Hospitals

Jails

Assisted Living / Nursing Facilities

Schools

Hotels

2 Battalion Chiefs

4 Engines

2 Ladders

1 Rescue
 

       

Special Operations/ Rescue Assignments:
 

  Apparatus Response

Motor Vehicle Entrapments

Industrial Entrapments

 

 1 Battalion Chief
1 or 2 Engines
1 Ladder
1 Rescue
Water Operations 1 Battalion Chief
1 or 2 Engines
1 Ladder
1 Rescue
1 Boat/ Dive Unit
SRT Trailer
USAR/ Trench Rescues
Confined Space Rescues

1 Battalion Chief
2 Engines
1 Ladder
1 Rescue
USAR 1 or 2
Haz Mat 1 Battalion Chief
2 Engines
1 Ladder
1-2 Haz-Mat
(Depending on Chemical)

 

 

            Airport Incidents

All incidents at the airport involving aircraft are reported directly to Fire Station 17 via a direct line from the Air-Traffic Control Tower to the Fire Station.  The Station OIC(Blaze 5) will then contact Fire Alarm via radio and advise of the situation.

Alert 1-Aircraft in distress-Station 17 units can handle the situation by standing by at the Station.

Alert 2/Code 1-Aircraft in distress-Blaze 5 will request an Operation Channel and a Code 1 response will be dispatched.  4 Blaze(ARFF), 3 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Rescue, 2 Tankers, 1 Battalion Chief.

Alert 3/Code 10-Aircraft has crashed or a crash is imminent.  Code 1 Response plus a 2nd and 3rd Alarm response.

 

           Administrative and Support Staff Identifiers

        Car 10-Chief of the Department                      Cars 500-Emergency Building Inspector

        Cars 7,8,9,11-Deputy Chiefs                           Cars 60 series-Fire Communications

        Cars15 thru 18-Emergency Management       Cars 70 series-Fire Logistics Staff

        Car 19-Public Information Officer                    Cars 800 series-Fire Investigation

         Cars 20 series-Training Academy                  Cars 90 series-Special Events Personnel         

         Cars 300 series-Fire Inspection Bureau

Mecklenburg County Volunteer Fire Departments

MCVFD is dispatched by Mecklenburg County EMS and are referred to as “Central.”  Volunteer Fire Departments include Cooks, Pineville, Huntersville, Gilead, Cornelius, Davidson, Mallard Creek, Newell, Robinson, Matthews, Idlewild, Long Creek, Carolina, West Meck, Providence and Mint Hill.

 

 

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