Mutual Aid Names?

[Kumba]

A bit curious, but when one county calls another county for mutual aid, do the responding units get called different names while on the calling county's radio? I've noticed this a few times w/ Charles. PG Engine 242 is called Engine 824 it seems and I think I recently picked up on St. Mary's Engine 24 getting referred to as Engine 55, both when responding to incidents in Charles.

From one aspect, this would make sense if both counties have similar company numbers, but I wasn't sure if anyone knew knew of some kind of guide to the name mappings.

 

[ocguard]

For jurisdictions immediately surrounding Washington DC, the numbering system is based on the Metro Washington Council of Governments numbering system. There are a few other threads in the Maryland forum describing the numbering system in detail, but here is a brief synopsis:
Prince Georges County is COG #8.
What was formerly known as PG E241 is now E824. What was formerly known PG E242 is now E824A
What was formerly known as PG A339 is now A833.
Montgomery County is COG #7. Same basic system.
This idea is designed to make a unit's radio designation exactly the same regardless of where the unit responds to.

As for the other jurisdictions (not a part of WM-COG), some counties do assign mutual aid companies their own unique in-county numbering designations.

 

[Kumba]

For jurisdictions immediately surrounding Washington DC, the numbering system is based on the Metro Washington Council of Governments numbering system. There are a few other threads in the Maryland forum describing the numbering system in detail, but here is a brief synopsis:
Prince Georges County is COG #8.
What was formerly known as PG E241 is now E824. What was formerly known PG E242 is now E824A
What was formerly known as PG A339 is now A833.
Montgomery County is COG #7. Same basic system.
This idea is designed to make a unit's radio designation exactly the same regardless of where the unit responds to.

As for the other jurisdictions (not a part of WM-COG), some counties do assign mutual aid companies their own unique in-county numbering designations.

This is highly informative, thanks! I found a few postings on the assigned numbers, and assuming they don't go above 9, it looks like all of them are already assigned. So I don't see Charles, Calvert, or St. Mary's adopting this anytime soon unless something changes.

PS, it would also imply there's still some resident confusion. If PG made the switch back in 2007, and I heard an engine company calling themselves "242", it would imply some are still stuck on the older numbers (I imagine many of the engine apparatuses haven't been re-done yet with the newer numbers).

 

[fd2119]

Just one minor correction, but the A suffix designation (with the exception of a deputy chief) is silent.

For example, E824 is the front line engine company. This unit has the implied A suffix, but is not announced as such. The exception to this is the deputy ("A chief" position) chief (Chief 824A).

PG assigned the front line designation to whatever unit is running front line, while Montgomery assigns designations that stick with the unit (for example, Medic 742F could be the front line medic, but retains its F designation). I can't speak for the other members of the COG, though.

 

[Kumba]

Just one minor correction, but the A suffix designation (with the exception of a deputy chief) is silent.

For example, E824 is the front line engine company. This unit has the implied A suffix, but is not announced as such. The exception to this is the deputy ("A chief" position) chief (Chief 824A).

PG assigned the front line designation to whatever unit is running front line, while Montgomery assigns designations that stick with the unit (for example, Medic 742F could be the front line medic, but retains its F designation). I can't speak for the other members of the COG, though.

I've noticed this a bit. I have in my scanner, for example, a Chief 11, 11A, and 11B. I think 11 and 11A are the same, with the difference being one is the vehicle radio I heard him on and the other his portable. Hard to tell at times, though. I have a retardedly weak signal where I'm at because of some kind of interference that I haven't yet resolved. So their comms sometimes come in garbled, usually right when they speak their identifier.

 

[fd2119]

I've noticed this a bit. I have in my scanner, for example, a Chief 11, 11A, and 11B. I think 11 and 11A are the same, with the difference being one is the vehicle radio I heard him on and the other his portable. Hard to tell at times, though. I have a retardedly weak signal where I'm at because of some kind of interference that I haven't yet resolved. So their comms sometimes come in garbled, usually right when they speak their identifier.

Actually, no. Chief 11 is the chief of that particular department/company, Chief 11A is the deputy (second in command), and 11B is the assistant (third in command). Some departments have a second assistant chief; PG does not recognize a C chief designation, so the B radio designation is shared.

Disclaimer: This is based on my experience. Some departments may have an assistant chief as the second in command, and the deputy as the third in command.

 

[ocguard]

Just one minor correction, but the A suffix designation (with the exception of a deputy chief) is silent.

For example, E824 is the front line engine company. This unit has the implied A suffix, but is not announced as such. The exception to this is the deputy ("A chief" position) chief (Chief 824A).

PG assigned the front line designation to whatever unit is running front line, while Montgomery assigns designations that stick with the unit (for example, Medic 742F could be the front line medic, but retains its F designation). I can't speak for the other members of the COG, though.

What if a PG station has two engine companies in service on the radio at once? Then, does the suffix come into play?

 

[fd2119]

The suffixes are always in play, but the A suffix is not announced (again, save for the deputy chief). If a station has 2 pieces (say 2 engines). The front line engine would be Engine 8xx, and the second engine would be Engine 8xxB. Same with trucks, rescue squads, ambulances, or anything else where there are multiple units. Third units would carry the C suffix; the 4th, D, and so on down the line.

 

[MDS4682]

when running into Chuck County, we (Station 40), depending on what shift, career or volunteer will mark up as either Engine 401 or Engine 840. Charles does not recognize our Rescue Engine as a Rescue Squad (it doesn't carry an air cascade system, but we will run RE40 as Squad 40 in PG and Charles, when Squad 40 is OOS).

so for my station apparatus is designated as this;

Engine 401- Engine 840
Rescue Engine 40- Rescue Engine 840
Rescue Squad 40- Rescue Squad 840
BX 40- Brush 840
Ambulance 409- Ambulance 840
Paramedic Ambulance 40- Paramedic Ambulance 840
Chief 40- Chief 840
Chief 40A- Chief 840A
Chief 40B- Chief 840B

We usually run Charles once or twice a day, Charles will dispatch us for example;

Building Fire, Company 3's area. Engine Companies 3, 12, 40, 36, Truck 1, Tower 24, Squad 2, EMS 3

But when PG dispatches us Mutual Aid it will be "Mutual Aid to Charles County for Engine 840, Engine 836, Tower 824, Battalion Chief 807

yes its confusing, but since we only run Mutual Aid with Charles, its really not a problem, the only time we would run with another COG department is a 2nd or 3rd alarm in the 3rd or 5th Battalion

 

[MDS4682]

and what fd2119 said in his previous post the only time where a C would come into place is if Station 9 (Bladensburg) and Station 10 has a full crew for all 3 of their Engines. Engine 92 (Engine 809), Engine 93 (Engine 809B), and Engine 94 (Engine 809C), Engine 101 (Engine 810), Engine 103 (Engine 810B), Engine 104 (Engine 810C)

Multiple Services (Station 14 for example) Truck 14-TK814, Rescue Squad 14- RS814, Rescue Squad 14R- RS814B