MetroFire Boston - Fireground Channels

[zerg901]

MetroFire fireground channels - this info is from the MetroFire box cards and SOP that is online (maybe circa 2015 or 2019) - some of these are listed town by town in the RRDB - some are not

fireground (FG) channel - communities that are assigned

Central - Chelsea + Everett + Revere + Winthrop

North - Malden + Massport Hanscom + Medford + Melrose + Saugus

South - Randolph (which also uses Norfolk County FG channels)

Metro Red (483.3125R) - task forces for Box 8211 at Logan Airport

Can anyone confirm hearing any of these channels in use? I dont typically listen to these communities but it seems that fireground traffic is rarely heard on their main channels. Which leads to the conclusion that these Metro FG channels are in fact used daily. I suspect they switch over to the FG channels anytime that fire or smoke showing is reported. Or maybe they switch over on all box alarms.

Possibly just portable radios are used on these channels. Or maybe just portable radios and mobile radios.

 

[W1KNE]

The two listed under their towns have been deleted. Thanks for the heads up on the duplication.
If there is a list, it can be put into the wiki, of who uses what.

 

[gordon115]

Chelsea, Everett and Revere use central FG frequently at many box alarms and some still alarms. Very active during multiple alarms.

Malden, Melrose and Saugus are fairly frequent users of North FG. A lot of use during brush fires this past summer.

Gordon

 

[jmorrissey23]

Chelsea, Everett and Revere use central FG frequently at many box alarms and some still alarms. Very active during multiple alarms.

Malden, Melrose and Saugus are fairly frequent users of North FG. A lot of use during brush fires this past summer.

Gordon

You can add Medford to the list for North FG as well, they use it as there main FG for any box alarms. Chelsea stopped using Central FG recently, there new radios seem to have 482.2375 programmed as Ch.2 now which is being used as there fireground. It nice hearing there FG traffic over the repeater!

 

[zerg901]

Does anyone ever hear any dispatchers on these Metro FG channels?

I wonder if the dispatchers can monitor the Metro FG channels; but not transmit on them? If this is the case then there has to be a method to relay messages from the FG channel back to the main fire channel. Perhaps the portable radios use a scan function? Or the officer has to switch back and forth? Or the pump operators (or Deputy Aides?) have to relay messages via the mobile radios? Or some units have onboard repeaters (MO3)?

AFAIK - FDNY field units have always relayed messages between channels - but Boston FD has never done that. (Historically - Boston Fire dispatchers (sitting in the dispatch office in the Fenway) relayed messages from "Channel 2" (153.89) to "Channel 1" (33.74).

 

[NIFOG291]

Does anyone ever hear any dispatchers on these Metro FG channels?

I wonder if the dispatchers can monitor the Metro FG channels; but not transmit on them? If this is the case then there has to be a method to relay messages from the FG channel back to the main fire channel. Perhaps the portable radios use a scan function? Or the officer has to switch back and forth? Or the pump operators (or Deputy Aides?) have to relay messages via the mobile radios? Or some units have onboard repeaters (MO3)?

AFAIK - FDNY field units have always relayed messages between channels - but Boston FD has never done that. (Historically - Boston Fire dispatchers (sitting in the dispatch office in the Fenway) relayed messages from "Channel 2" (153.89) to "Channel 1" (33.74).

In Chelsea the dispatchers could talk on FG central but usually didn't. The Deputy on scene would switch back and forth between the main channel and fire ground to relay messages to fire alarm and give orders on scene. Now Chelsea uses a repeaterized fire ground channel that the dispatcher switches to so everyone is on the same channel. FG central is still in the portables but rarely used in the city.

 

[ecps92]

Circa 2016 so out of date - but close

https://www.massmetrofire.org/sites/default/files/Metrofire%20Mutual%20Aid%20System%20for%20COMPUTER%20VIEWING.pdf

The two listed under their towns have been deleted. Thanks for the heads up on the duplication.
If there is a list, it can be put into the wiki, of who uses what.

 

[potala1369]

Circa 2016 so out of date - but close

https://www.massmetrofire.org/sites/default/files/Metrofire%20Mutual%20Aid%20System%20for%20COMPUTER%20VIEWING.pdf

An interesting read.