Arizona Federal Database - Needed Confirmations

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By the way, the national forests in Arizona put the number of the forest in the identifier first. So Tonto units will all have a 12 preceding the other numbers in the identifier, such as "Engine 12-26." This means 12 is the Tonto, 2 stands for the Globe Ranger District and 6 is the number of that engine on the district. Other nearby forests are 1 for the Apache Sitgreaves, 4 for the Coconino and 9 for the Prescott. These are assigned alphabetically in the Forest Service's, Southwest Region, R3. There are 11 of them in AZ and New Mexico. Number 11 was retired in 1974 when the Apache, forest #1 (AZ portion) was combined with the Sitgreaves, forest #11. Using the forest number as part of the identifier does not follow national policy, which was issued about 10 years ago. That policy states that, for example, an engine will be identified with the state, forest 3 letter identifier, the engine type, the district number and the engine number on the district. So, Engine 12-26 would be AZ TNF Engine 626 as it is a type 6 on the Globe district (#2) and they have given it a 6 for its individual engine number. On the Payson district there is a Type 3 engine that would be identified as "AZ TNF Engine 348" as the Payson district is #4. When engines ID on their home forest they would just say "Engine 348" pronounced "engine three forty eight." If they are on a nearby forest in Arizona they would say "Engine 348." If they are out of region they would say "Tonto Engine 348." This is so the command structure of any fire knows what type of engine they are working with even if they haven't seen it or have looked on the shift plan that lists resource types. The full "AZ TNF Engine 626" is placed on the side of each engine and front and rear in large letters (4-6" in height - Daddy doesn't remember) on each engine. The state is important as, for example, "ANF" is the identifier for the Angeles in CA, the Ashley in UT and the Allegheny in Pennsylvania. Other resources are "D" for division (Fire Management Officer - FMO), "CH" for Chief (Forest FMO), "WT" for water tender, "P" for patrol (has small pump unit), "PV" for prevention, "T" for Dozer Transport, "DT" for Dozer Tender, "C" for crew (hotshot crews verbalize with crew name "Mesa," "Globe" and "Payson"), SUPT for hotshot crew superintendent and finally "U" for Utility, a pickup assigned to a station for this and that. Agency owned water tenders will be showing up with a "2" as most agency water tenders are Type 2's. The Forest Service did renumber any equipment when the policy was issued, the next replacement will show the older system, whatever it might have been.

I have some typos in this long explanation of apparatus/personnel radio identifiers. First, engines working on a different national forest in the state or region often just use the 3 letter identifier or sound out the name of the forest they are from. Example, Tonto Engine 348 would either say "TNF Engine 348" or "Tonto Engine 348." If out of region or state they always use "Tonto Engine 348."

In the example of the BLM engine from the Arizona Strip District it would be "Engine 1420," not 3420. A dumb typo!

I will add this is done in interagency comms as well. So BLM Engine 2311 will ID on air as "BLM Engine 2311." They normally don't sound out the district name, they expect fire people to remember in Arizona that the AZ Strip District is 1, Phoenix is 2, Colorado River is 3 and Gila is 4. When out of state they say "BLM AZ Engine 2311." Remember that the first # is the district, the second is the apparatus type and the third and fourth are the districts method of IDing the engine. A Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management engine (they have some of their own now!) identifies with the district number first, the engine type second and the individual engine with the 3rd digit. I don't hear them up in Payson, so I don't know if they say "Arizona E361," "ADFFM Engine 361" or "State Engine 361." I haven't heard the USFWS engines on the air yet. The BIA has identifiers that I haven't figured out yet. NPS engines have systems that vary from state to state.

As for those pickups, in California they are always "Utility" and are attached to crews, engines, dozers, etc. for hauling around hose, luggage, spare parts, this and that. However, now I've heard in Arizona these being referred to as "Chase." I think I've heard Chase being used in other regions and BLM districts as well.

Last, the Forest Service did not go out and repaint engines with the standard 3 number Id. They are doing so when the engine gets replaced. So you might see "CA ANF E37" parked next to "CA ANF E336." E37 is likely 8-12 years old and E336 is newer than 8-10 years old.

 

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The Dispatcher is "Phoenix Dispatch". I have never heard them voice a callsign. I have also not heard CW on the repeaters.

I've never heard CW on any federal natural resource agency repeater. I wonder if there is some obscure NTIA direction on not using it.

 

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I recently received a bunch of material third hand through a contact I made in California while working/living there fixing up my Uncle's vacation home for sale. I have a 2019 national list of air to ground assignments. I meticulously working through it to edit a spreadsheet type publication listing all the national air to ground freqs. It will show these by GACC zones and dispatch center. It is very slow work, but I will post as an attachment when it is completed. I wish I had the 2020 version so this will be Gospel as of 2019.

I revised a "National Wildland Fire Air to Ground Frequencies" spreadsheet my late Hubby first put together around 2016. I've revised it to include all changes made as of 2019. If I get my hands on the 2020 info I will update. The spreadsheet (in PDF) is posted in the Federal Forum.