Communications

We use many forms of communications depending on the circumstances.

Pagers

It starts with the pagers each member is issued to notify them of a call-out. These operate on the SA Government Radio Network (SA-GRN).

More details at the SA-Scan site

GRN Radios

We use GRN radios (mobile and portable) for most communications including incident command and control, for comms back to our station, Group Base or Adelaide Fire Communications Centre.

Each appliance is equipped with a Motorola MCS-2000 mobile radio:

And one Motorola MTS-2000 portable radio:

More details at the SA-Scan site

VHF Radios

At an incident we use VHF radios (mobile and portable) for local comms on the fireground.

Each appliance is equipped with a Tait T2000 mobile radio:

And three Icom portable radios:

Mobile Phones

Each appliance is also equipped with a NextG mobile phone in carkit with external antenna.

A note on mobile phones:
In a situation where you want to call the emergency services from a mobile phone, you should dial 112 instead of 000.
This is the international standard emergency number for mobile phones.
The advantage of doing this is:

it will work if there is at least one network within range
it can be any network, not necessarily the one you subscribe to
it will work even if the mobile phone is locked (you don't need the PIN)
it will work even if there is no SIM card in the phone
it will work if you have no credits on your phone