This needs to be put in context. The National Incident Radio Support Cache contains 7 frequencies each for command, tactical, and logistics uses, for a total of 21 frequencies. These frequencies, and most frequencies used by the U.S. Forest Service are a matter of public accessible record, that is they cannot be exempted under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The FOIA allows 9 exemptions in which the denial of information release is allowed. Those 9 are:
1. Classified records of national defense or foreign policy matters required by executive order to be kept secret.
2. Matters related solely to an agency's internal personnel rules and practices.
3. Matters exempted by statute.
4. Commercial or financial information or trade secrets provided to the Government for which release might either:
a. Cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the information supplier, or
b. Impair the Government's ability to obtain necessary information in the future.
5. Certain interagency or intra-agency memorandum or matters that are not mainly factual, such as discussions, recommendations, and personal opinions, and are not available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with an agency.
6. Personnel, medical, or similar files for which disclosure would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
7. Records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, if disclosure:
a. Could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings,
b. Would deprive a person of the right to a fair trail or an impartial adjudication,
c. Could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,
d. Could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source NOTE: this item goes on for 8 lines in describing what a confidential source is.
e. Would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigation or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, or
f. Could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.
8. Certain records of agencies that regulate or supervise financial institutions.
9. Geological or geophysical information and data, including maps about gas, oil, and other wells.
As you might guess exemption number 7 is the one that most applies to radio frequencies. The management of wildland fires is the main purpose the National Interagency Fire Center was established. However, because of the unique resources, training, and infrastructure of the wildland fire organization that NIFC coordinates, it can be useful for all types of disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, acts of terrorism, etc. A NIFC national Type I incident management team was tasked with the recovery of debris from the Columbia space shuttle disaster. Another was in charge of logistics and planning for the World Trade Center. It is these non-fire incidents that are called "all risk." These all risk situations could include law enforcement or medical activities and this is probably why they are exempt from the FOIA, under one or more of the exemptions I've listed.
That is the bad news. Here is some good news. Forest Service Manual, Chapter 6640 - Telecommunications, section 6641.37 - Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Exemptions, states the following:
(For further direction on FOIA, see FSM 6270 and FSH 6209.13.) The majority of frequency assignments for the Forest Service are not exempt under the FOIA (5 U.S.C. 522). Law enforcement assignments, however, are exempt from the provisions of the act. Requests for information under the FOIA relevant to law enforcement frequencies, shall be denied under exemption 2 (high), 7E, and 7F (5 U.S.C. 522(b)(2) and (7)).
Do not release information regarding assignments classified as exempt under FOIA to the public without written authorization from the Director of the Washington Office staff through which the exemption was initially requested and the Washington Office, Director of Information Resources Management. Treat published lists that identify frequencies classified as exempt from the FOIA with confidentiality, and limit distribution to those employees having a job-related requirement to know.
Accompany applications for radio frequency assignments that are classified as FOIA exempt with a letter of authorization stating the specific exemption(s) under the FOIA.
Do not release frequency assignment information relating to other Federal Departments. Tell FOIA requestors to contact the appropriate Department or agency.
The real kicker is the policy that frequency information for other Federal Departments is not to be released. Almost any radio frequency list that the Forest Service compiles, or is in the annual Mobilization Plans for each of the 11 Geographic Area Coordination Centers, lists frequencies assigned to the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As a result of this policy they do not have to release the entire document. It is entirely possible that those frequencies may not be exempt under the FOIA, but the policy directs the Forest Service to not release the information so that those other agencies may review and make the decision as to its release.
The other factor that should be considered is that just because the majority of frequency assignments are not exempt from FOIA requests does not mean the Forest Service is going to make the information easily available. Many of the annual Mobilization Plans for each GACC listed them and the Plans were posted on the Internet. I used to be able, as a retiree, to request and receive the annual "Region 5 Frequency Guide." Region 5 of the Forest Service covers most of California and the guide was pretty handy. Starting in 2006 they guide was labeled "for official use only" and I was no longer allowed to obtain one, even as a retiree. If an FOIA request were made some Forests may actually make the claim that their Forest net, their most often used channel, is exempt because personnel involved in law enforcement use this net. I'm not saying that I have experience in, or have heard of a Forest responding to an FOIA request in this manner, but I could imagine one doing so.
This is a lot of mumbo, jumbo to be sure. What it is really saying is that you can request and the Forest Service may not exempt from release, the majority of the frequency assignments made to them. Law enforcement frequencies would be the frequency assignments you can bet you won't get information for.
It is possible to get the information without having to go as far as to request the information under the FOIA. Those of us who like to listen to natural resource agencies, such as the Forest Service, have done a pretty fair job submitting information for inclusion in the database. We have gathered our information by listening and searching. I have official information for most of the country from guides and lists I compiled while in the Forest Service, when the agency was actually making the information more available. As this information is out of date, I cannot guarantee its accuracy, but it does provide a starting point. Give me the Forests or the area you are interested in and I will see if I can help you.
By the way, I would not recommend that you contact a Ranger Station for this information. Most of the personnel there will not know what you are talking about. As is the case for most agencies, the people using the radio may not know the freqeuncies being used. The people who generally know, their fire and law enforcement personnel, may not know anything about the policy and direction I've quoted here. They may only be aware that it takes a password to access the information and are not likely to share anything from a location they need a password to get to.
