The International Association of Fire Chiefs’ (IAFC) Digital Project Working Group released its Interim Report and Recommendations: Fireground Noise and Digital Radio Transmissions. This report culminates a year’s work with public-safety organizations, manufacturers and the laboratory services of the federal government to determine the extent of radio transmission problems associated with fireground noise.
To review the report, go to DPWG Interim Report on the IAFC Web site. Two important companion reports also are posted on the site: the IAFC Portable Radio Best Practices presentation; and the National Telecommunications & Information Administration report, Intelligibility of Selected Radio Systems in the Presence of Fireground Noise: Test Plan and Results.
The intent of the IAFC interim report is to alert the fire service that noise on the fireground can interfere with intelligible radio communications. The report is organized into sections that provide background on the issue, the steps the Digital Project Working Group took to investigate the problem in an objective laboratory setting, the results of the testing and corresponding analysis and recommendations, and best operational practices.
The IAFC Digital Project Working Group and its task groups will continue their work. The Testing Task Group will engage in further testing to delineate the problem and investigate technical ways to resolve the identified problems. The Best Practices Task Group will focus on investigating the best practices and training available to mitigate the known issues.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is the voice of fire and emergency service leaders around the world. Established in 1873, the IAFC is a powerful network of more than 12,000 chief fire and emergency service officers who are the world’s leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials, natural disasters, search and rescue, and fire prevention and education.
The report: http://www.iafc.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=719
