NBMTF Communications Overview
- 3. Purpose: To establish a set of standard operating guidelines for radio communications. Overview: Marine incidents often involve assets from multiple fire departments as well as other agencies. PURPOSE & OVERVIEW • Interoperability is dependent upon an efficient flow of information between these groups.
- 4. Primary communications will normally be conducted on the statewide 800MHz radio system (RISCON) in conjunction with the marine radio. Protocols for the two vary significantly; both are addressed in these guidelines. COMMUNICATIONS AND PROTOCOLS
- 7. HAILING ANOTHER STATION • Say who you are calling, three (3) times • Say who you are • Say the channel you are transmitting on • Say “over” and wait for a response Example: “Bristol Marine One, Bristol Marine One, Bristol Marine One, this is Barrington Marine Two on channel One Six, over.”
- 8. ANSWERING ANOTHER STATION • Say the name of the station calling • Say who you are (ex. Newport Marine 1) • Say “over” and wait for a response Example: Barrington Marine Two, this is Bristol Marine One, over.”
- 9. CHANNEL 16 & 21 A • Channel 16: • International hailing and distress frequency • Monitored by the Coast Guard and most vessels with marine radios • It should always be monitored by NVMTF vessels. • Once contact has been established, switch traffic to another frequency • Channel 21A: Coast Guard Working Channel • When your boat is underway, call Coast Guard Station Castle Hill on Channel 21A and notify them: • You are underway • Your destination • The Nature of the Call • Your estimated time of arrival
- 10. CHANNEL 1 A & 13 • Channel 1A: • Is a good working channel by which to communicate between boats that are operating at an incident. • Channel 13: • Should be monitored when operating in and around shipping lanes.
- 13. 800MHz Protocols Protocols are similar to the radio protocols of most local fire department. Hailing another station: • Say who you are • Say who yo are calling • Say the channel that you are transmitting on When Answering: • Say who you are Example:North Kingstown Marine One to East Greenwich Marine One on Wide Area Five.” “This is East Greenwich Marine One.”
- 14. Wide Area 5 (WA-5): primary working channel for the NBMTF • Wide Area 6: is the alternate working channel for the NBMTF. • If a 2nd incident is occurring on the bay, the 1st incident shall change to Wide Area 6, and allow the 2nd incident to work on WA-5 • Reason: The 2nd response automatically turns to WA-5. WORKING CHANNEL (Talk Group)
- 16. Metro Control
- 17. Metro Control is the dispatch center for all NBMTF incidents. • Normally managed by Cranston Fire Alarm • Providence and Warwick are the alternates
- 18. METRO CONTROL For ALL NBMTF incidents, Metro Control will contact C. G. Station Castle Hill and provide: • The location and nature of the incident • The incident working channel • The name and location of the command post • The vessels that are responding.
- 19. METRO CONTROL For ALL NBMTF incidents, Metro Control will contact C. G. Station Castle Hill and provide: • The location and nature of the incident • The incident working channel • The name and location of the command post • The vessels that are responding.
- 20. When underway, call Metro Control and tell them: • That you are underway • Your destination • The nature of the call BOAT UNDERWAY
- 21. METRO CONTROL will acknowledge, and provide: • The incidents working channel • The name and location of the command post (if established) • Advise if the Coast Guard is monitoring the incident working channel METRO ACKNOWLEDGEMNET
- 22. If you are the first boat to arrive on scene, call Metro Control and: • Tell them that you are on scene. • Give a size up. • Establish command.
- 23. Metro Control will monitor all NBMTF incidents and repeat import transmissions.
- 26. All NBMTF incidents will comply with NIMS guidelines to insure interoperability with the NBMST fire departments and other emergency agencies. NIMS
- 27. The first vessel to arrive on scene will establish command and call Metro Control with the name and location of the command post. • Once command has been established, all communications will be directed to the Incident Commander. • At prolonged incidents, it is preferable to have the local NBMTF fire department assume command at a land based command post. ESTABLISH COMMAND
- 28. The IC may create a subdivision called Marine Operations; communications from the NBMTF boats will then be directed to Marine Operations. MARINE OPERATIONS
- 29. At the conclusion of an incident, terminate command!
- 32. • One member of each boat crew should be assigned the task of handling radio communications. • The incident commander should request that C.G. Station Castle Hill broadcast a “securite” announcement for the search area. General Considerations
- 33. • When hailing other vessels, be specific. • “Marine One” = nonspecific • “Newport Marine One” = specific • Straight talk should be used, avoid the use of acronyms and abbreviations. • The use of cell phones can isolate important information from the rest of the group. General Considerations
- 34. Water Rescue training: • Notify Metro Control on Wide Area 5 and C.G. Station Castle Hill on 21A • Inform them that you are training and the area in which you will be operating. TRAINING
- 35. For an incident that Metro Control may not have knowledge of; tell them the nature of the incident, it’s geographical location and marine district. Example: “North Kingston Marine One to Metro Control, a passing boater has just notified us that two boats have collided near Fox Island which is in marine district E2, we are underway to that location, North Kingstown Marine One.”
- 37. BOAT UNDERWAY “Middletown Marine One to Metro Control on Wide Area 5.” Metro Control responds: “This is Metro Control, go ahead with your message Middletown Marine One.” “Middletown Marine One is underway to the center span of the Newport Bridge for a boat on fire, Middletown Marine One.” Metro Control responds: “Metro Control received, Middletown Marine One is underway.” SAMPLE TRANSMISSION
- 38. “Coast Guard Station Castle Hill, Station Castle Hill, Station Castle Hill, this is Middletown Marine One on channel Two One Alpha, over.” Station Castle Hill responds: “Middletown Marine One, this is Station Castle Hill, over.” “Station Castle Hill, Middletown Marine One is underway to the center span of the Newport Bridge for a boat on fire, our ETA is 2230 hours, our working channel for this incident is Wide Area Five, over.”
- 39. Station Castle Hill responds: “Middletown Marine One, Station Castle Hill, roger, good copy, we will be monitoring Wide Area Five, over.” “Station Castle Hill, Middletown Marine One, roger, we are standing by on channel One Six, out.”
- 40. 1ST BOAT ARRIVING ON-SCENE: “Middletown Marine One to Metro Control.” Metro Control Responds: “Metro Control, go ahead Middletown Marine One.” “Middletown Marine One is on scene with a forty foot sail boat, one quarter mile south of the Newport Bridge, there is heavy smoke venting from the cabin windows, we are establishing East Passage Command, Middletown Marine One.” SAMPLE TRANSMISSION
- 41. Metro Control Responds: “Metro control received, Middletown Marine One is on scene one quarter mile south of the Newport Bridge, they have a forty foot sailboat with heavy smoke coming from the cabin, they have established East Passage Command, Metro Control.”
- 42. Terminating Command: “East Passage Command to Metro Control, the fire is out all apparatus are back in service, terminate East Passage Command.” SAMPLE TRANSMISSION
Editor's Notes
- #5: RISCON=RI Statewide Communications Network Need to know how to use both systems- C.G., commercial & pleasure vessels, harbormaster, & towboats
- #15: For the exclusive use of the NBMTF. Covers the entire state including the coastline from Westerly to Westport.
- #28: “Narragansett Marine One to Metro Control, we are establishing Whale Rock Command, the command post is at the east side of Whale Rock, Narragansett Marine One”.
- #33: Securite: A radio call that usually issues navigational warnings, meteorological warnings,and any other warning needing to be issued that may concern the safety of life at sea, yet may not be particularly life-threatening. Pan-pan: This is the second most important call. This call is made when there is an emergency aboard a vessel, yet there is not immediate danger to life, or the safety of the vessel itself. This includes, but is not limited to injuries on deck, imminent collision that has not yet occurred, or being unsure of vessel's position. Mayday: This is the most important call that can be made, due to the fact that it directly threatens life or the vessel. Some instances when this call would be made are, but not limited to death, collision, and fire at sea. When the Mayday call is made, the vessel is requiring immediate assistance.
- #35: Good practice for Metro Control and Castle Hill.