highrise radio ops for FD - simplex ops

[Peteri Szerlagi]

we are not sure how well USA FD radios work inside highrise buildings nowadays

lets assume that a FD needs to use simplex radio channels in a highrise building

the fireground channels would be

Ch 1 -would be fire floor

Ch 2 - would be floor above the fire

Ch 3 would be other floors above the fire

ch 4 would be floor below the fire

ch 5 would be for evacs via stairs and elevators below the fire floor

ch 6 would be IC in lobby to IC on fire floor

ch 7 would be aircraft to ground - or - any exterior ops - maybe drone
or adjacent bld or maybe ladder pipes etc

ch 8 would be 'upper floors to command post at front door' - each
channel - except for maybe ch 3 and ch 5 - would have 1 person
assigned to relay messages from the various channels to the IC on the
first floor - the general idea is that each 'floor' channel can talk
on each floor with no trouble - but they would have trouble talking to
the street and to other floors - in other words - it is basically
assumed that radio waves can travel horizontally with no problem - but
the radio waves have a big problem travelling vertically - unless they
are outside of the building

ch 8 would have 1 person at street level on side A - and other people
on side A on ch 1,2,4 - people on ch 3 and ch 5 would have to move to
Side A to have comms with other floors and with someone on the street

all of this can be figured out well before any fire breaks out - it
just takes one or two companies to go into some highrise and to test
their radios

easy peasy

ambulance and police could use similar schemes - their radio waves
work the same way as the FD radio waves