NEW EMCOMM GUIDEBOOK FROM DHS A very informative guidebook authored by Ross Merlin, WA2WDT, and titled NIFOG is described as a great go-to compendium of radio frequencies, channels, and other tidbits if information that can be essential in times of an emergency. The guide is authored by Merlin who works in the Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Communications. He authored the guidebook for the agency and says that it contains page after page of frequency information, operating procedures, formulas, and rules and regulations from both the FCC and the NTIA. Specific subject material includes frequency and channel data for Fire, EMS, Police, and Law Enforcement as well as Mutual Aid channels in VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and others. Also included is communications information for marine, aviation, NOAA weather, MURS, GMRS, FRS, and just about any radio you might encounter in an emergency. Te guidebook is available in printed and downloadable formats. The primary Website where downloads copies are available is publicsafetytools.info. Copies printed on waterproof paper, are reportedly available free of charge from the Department of Homeland Security. Please contact NIFOG (at) HQ (dot) DHS (dot) GOV for details. (AA7BQ, QRZ.com) ____________________________________________________________________ This is a very comprehensive document that spells out what DHS plans to do/use in a National Disaster Senerio.... If we want to know what is going on around our AoO, this will lend itself to getting our Receivers in the right places. It is presented here as just "Information" and not as any Endorsement, or Call to Arms.... I downloaded the document, and will review it.... ..... YMMV....
This this a public thing? It looks very official and I was concerned about clicking anything. Let us know how it is.
Downloaded and looked it over. Good resource. Has a lot of info you can find elsewhere but real value are things like the the interoperability channels section which lists frequencies, CTCSS tones, purposes, etc. for how multiple agencies will operate on common channels and be able to communicate together. Also has P25 codes and assignments for trunking radio systems (these allow say 4 different services operate on just 2 or 3 repeater frequency sets to more effectively utilize the radio spectrum and share infrastructure costs. We should all probably have a handheld scanner capable of following P25 trunking systems and this document forms a good resource for programming frequencies. If you hear the interagency channels go active you will know something big with multiple agencies is going down. I looked at the iPhone app store and there is an app with this guide available for $4.99. The website this was listed on has some other interesting stuff and some training presentations. BT, thanks for bringing this to our attention. AT
I read the entire document... I find it is a treasure trove of good information... It outlines the Federal Response to ANY Regional or National Crisis, and how the Feds plan to coordinate their response with State & local First Responders, as they gear up to bring the Federal resources into play. (Think FEMA) I only noted ONE glaring omission in the whole presentation. They completely missed the Alaska HF EMERGENCY Frequency of 5167.5 KHz USB. This is legal for ALL Alaska Public/Private, Marine, Public Safety, Aircraft, and Ham Stations to use, as a Calling, Distress, Safety, AND Working Frequency, Anywhere inside the State of Alaska. 150 Watts PEP Maximum output power. This was designed and implemented before there were Cellular, Satillite, and microwave interconnections between the Bush Communities and the Regional towns & Cities. If we have a massive Disaster that disrupts our Comms Infurstructure, this will be the fallback for moving information to the local & State EMS/Public Safety, to bring, and coordinate the required resources to bear, on the disaster. I will be bringing this information to the attention of the Author of this document, via eMail.
I agree about having a P25 scanner. Having had my muni just switch over to P-25 trunking, be prepared to spend some serious dough to get a workable scanner. GRE went under (last year?), but the US distributor (GRE America) still has some NOS units. Be prepared to part with 350 to 450 bucks for a portable, mire for a mobile. BT- has the DHS indicated they will use encryption? The local system here is all encrypted with the exception of fire and police dispatch, all other inter-car comms are a no-go for non-users. I would have to guess DHS will do the same...
The mutual Aid, and interAgency channels will NOT be encrypted, especially if they are analog FM.... I have no idea what the P25 Channels will be, but I suspect that they, also will NOT be encrypted, due to the idea that these are for interagency Comms, and there would be a Giant ClusterF@@K if everyone used their own encryption setup. Kind of defeats the purpose of a Common Comms Plan, if no one could communicate with anyone else...... DKR, have you ever worked anyone on 5167.5 KHz USB?
No. I have the freq loaded on all my field radios, just in case. But I believe that doing radio checks/path checks are a no-no. So have never transmitted on the AK freq.
It was reported tonite, that the 19 firefighters who died in Aridzonia, earlier this year, had Radios that were NOT programmed properly, with the correct Mutual Aid Frequencies, so that they were out of Comms with the Fire Dispatch for this Fire, when they got in trouble. The Document in this Thread is ment to DEAL with this ISSUE.....
Just briefly perused the NIFOG and it seems to deal primarily with frequencies above 30 mhz. This might explain why 5167.5 KHz was not mentioned. These are also limited (according to the presentation) to communicating with FED agencies...not State to State, intermunicipality, or any local communications. Still a good resource to gather info from during emergencies.
Secret Service, Capitol Police radios couldn't communicate during DC chase - Investigations DC cops and the Secret Service can't communicate.
Visited the site Public Safety Technical Assistance Tools Web Site but there are a ton of docs there. Does anyone have a specific URL address to download it please? Thank you. ---- NRA Life Member; also member of Gun Owners of America of America, NRA-PVF | PVF Home , Second Amendment Foundation Second Amendment Foundation Online, Home | Calguns FoundationCalguns Foundation, California Rifle and Pistol Association | , Gun Owners of California, NSSF | National Shooting Sports Foundation | Firearms Industry Trade Association, Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Permies: a big crowd of permaculture goofballs, Survival Podcast Member Support Brigade, Wolf Pack member at TheSurvivalistBlog.net — Survival Blog, Prepper Website, MD Creekmore, Permaculture Homesteader, Minister. American Redoubt - YouTube, American Redoubt (AmericaRedoubt) on Twitter, Jefferson Franklin (Redoubt) - Google+, American Redoubt | Facebook
