Navy/Army Fire/EMS Companies in Charles?

[Kumba]

Trying to scrounge for information here, but I've established that Indian Head's Fire/EMS (the Navy base) company # is 20, per info on RadioReference.com. Now I'm trying to figure out Stump Neck's. I think they're Company 21, per a posting on Tenth District's website (references to "Engine 21-1 (Stump Neck Navy Base)" and "Engine 211" are there). But I also have an article on the opening of Stump Neck's new fire station, and a small photo there shows off a yellow fire engine in which '20' is barely visible. This doesn't match up, though, with another photo of Indian Head's own Truck 20 I found, which is red.

Anyone know more, perchance?

Tenth District Volunteer Fire Department
New Fire Station open for Stump Neck Annex
http://www.dcmilitary.com/special_sections/sw/022310IH/Indian_Head_2010_jhc.pdf

Also, is Blossom Point still active for the Army? Do they have a small Fire/EMS company or anything? NRL?

Curious, because I'm trying to get a list together in case I pick any of them up on my scanner if they have to patch into Charles' system for mutual aid or anything. The BCD396XT has Unit ID support, so I can actually tag specific units with their identifier so I know whose talking when they mark up.

Thanks!

 

[wagondriver1]

The Main Side of Indian Head is Station 20. They have an Engine, Ladder Truck, Brush Truck, Ambulance/Medic Unit and Chiefs Vehicle. Stumpneck is now Station 21. If they had a Wagon there that said 20, it must be on of the reserves from Main Side. Also it could be there wagon now. 20 just got a new wagon on the last bunch that came out. The Navy is going back to Red Fire Trucks now. So slowly the yellow one's will be going. I could be wrong, but the Wagon Stumpneck is using is the newest of the old Fire Trucks that was last assigned to Station 20. Maybe they just havent had it re-lettered yet. I believe that Blossom Point is controlled by the Army and some by the Navy(NRL), however there is no fire station down there.

 

[clevalley]

The Main Side of Indian Head is Station 20. They have an Engine, Ladder Truck, Brush Truck, Ambulance/Medic Unit and Chiefs Vehicle. Stumpneck is now Station 21. If they had a Wagon there that said 20, it must be on of the reserves from Main Side. Also it could be there wagon now. 20 just got a new wagon on the last bunch that came out. The Navy is going back to Red Fire Trucks now. So slowly the yellow one's will be going. I could be wrong, but the Wagon Stumpneck is using is the newest of the old Fire Trucks that was last assigned to Station 20. Maybe they just havent had it re-lettered yet. I believe that Blossom Point is controlled by the Army and some by the Navy(NRL), however there is no fire station down there.

Outside of Blossom Point, all these are NDW (Naval District Washington), correct? Wouldn't they be talking on NDW freqs. and patched in to Charles County TAC channels when needed?

 

[G1G4]

If they're running mutual aide off the base, they have a seperate Charles County radio. They wouldn't be patched in.

 

[wagondriver1]

Correct, they are all now Naval District of Washington.

 

[Kumba]

The Main Side of Indian Head is Station 20. They have an Engine, Ladder Truck, Brush Truck, Ambulance/Medic Unit and Chiefs Vehicle. Stumpneck is now Station 21. If they had a Wagon there that said 20, it must be on of the reserves from Main Side. Also it could be there wagon now. 20 just got a new wagon on the last bunch that came out. The Navy is going back to Red Fire Trucks now. So slowly the yellow one's will be going. I could be wrong, but the Wagon Stumpneck is using is the newest of the old Fire Trucks that was last assigned to Station 20. Maybe they just havent had it re-lettered yet. I believe that Blossom Point is controlled by the Army and some by the Navy(NRL), however there is no fire station down there.

Ah ha, good info! I assume Stump Neck probably just has a rescue engine and maybe a smaller truck or such? Both trucks in that small image on dcmilitary.com looked like rescue engines (although I admit I am not versed in vehicle types for fire companies at all).

I'm looking to get this page below updated at some point with the newer info on #21, hence figuring out the vehicle types and numbers for them. Later on, I'm going to add in the UIDs for the Fire/EMS companies on Charles' system for anyone with a BCD396XT scanner to know whose keying up:
Charles County (MD) - The RadioReference Wiki

If they're running mutual aide off the base, they have a seperate Charles County radio. They wouldn't be patched in.

Yeah, I hear Medic 20 getting called on at random from Indian Head proper, but haven't heard them need the fire engines or anything in quite some time. I can't recall having ever heard Stump Neck whenever I have the scanner on. But if I did, I probably didn't notice it since I was on my older 396T, which lacks the UID feature. You notice things a lot more when you actually know who is talking.

 

[G1G4]

The engine on the right looked like a straight front line wagon. Didn't give off the indication of a rescue engine, namely due to the small compartments, and short wheel base. Typically, a rescue engine has tall(er) compartments that can hold more rescue-esque tools.

 

[wagondriver1]

Yea, there Medic Unit stays pretty busy in the county. Truck 20 does run out there, its just that, that side of the county is not busiest. When Charle County implements the GIS Dispatching, they will probably pick up more runs. That new system is based off GPS Positioning and true mileage. So they could find themselves closer to alot of area's then other companies. Which is a good thing, they have some good guys/firemen there and they have alot to offer.

 

[G1G4]

Yea, there Medic Unit stays pretty busy in the county. Truck 20 does run out there, its just that, that side of the county is not busiest. When Charle County implements the GIS Dispatching, they will probably pick up more runs. That new system is based off GPS Positioning and true mileage. So they could find themselves closer to alot of area's then other companies. Which is a good thing, they have some good guys/firemen there and they have alot to offer.

GIS dispatching.

 

[Miker/t]

I'm looking to get this page below updated at some point with the newer info on #21, hence figuring out the vehicle types and numbers for them. Later on, I'm going to add in the UIDs for the Fire/EMS companies on Charles' system for anyone with a BCD396XT scanner to know whose keying up:

Does the 396XT give you the option of ID'ing who's keying up or just the TGID like the 396T?

Never mind - I just looked at the list you are talking about updating. I was thinking you could display who is keyed up (engine 31, Truck 1, etc) instead of which talk group (FEMAIN, Tac1, etc)

 

[G1G4]

Does the 396XT give you the option of ID'ing who's keying up or just the TGID like the 396T?

Never mind - I just looked at the list you are talking about updating. I was thinking you could display who is keyed up (engine 31, Truck 1, etc) instead of which talk group (FEMAIN, Tac1, etc)

That's only available to the dispatch center. It's done for identifying CODE RED statuses, and if they can't decide who keyed up with a message. I don't think any scanner has that capability.

 

[Kumba]

Yea, there Medic Unit stays pretty busy in the county. Truck 20 does run out there, its just that, that side of the county is not busiest. When Charle County implements the GIS Dispatching, they will probably pick up more runs. That new system is based off GPS Positioning and true mileage. So they could find themselves closer to alot of area's then other companies. Which is a good thing, they have some good guys/firemen there and they have alot to offer.

GIS Dispatching? From what I hear, it seems like the comm center guys are pretty good at picking the station closet to an incident. I have noticed things get a little crazy when something big (e.g., gas leaks) pop up. They had a smoke/fire issue over near Marbury the other night, and dispatched 8, 7, Tower 9, and a few others, including Engine 12. I think 12 almost got there by the time they canceled them. I was actually kinda hoping they would've put out a mutual aid request to Stump Neck so I could ID them...

But that said, I think GIS Dispatching will line up with PG and all, who I think is going to employ a very similar system now that they got their new radio system up and running.

Does the 396XT give you the option of ID'ing who's keying up or just the TGID like the 396T?

Never mind - I just looked at the list you are talking about updating. I was thinking you could display who is keyed up (engine 31, Truck 1, etc) instead of which talk group (FEMAIN, Tac1, etc)

That's only available to the dispatch center. It's done for identifying CODE RED statuses, and if they can't decide who keyed up with a message. I don't think any scanner has that capability.

Actually, Unit ID support is available in both the BCD396XT and BCD996XT models with the latest firmware update. You have to enable it in the scanner-wide settings, and select a display mode (most prefer "mode 3"), then you'll either get the UID displayed, or the name, if you've identified it and given it a name:
Unit ID's / Radio ID on the XT Unidens are here!!!! - The RadioReference.com Forums

UIDs take up a single channel slot like TGIDs, and most people prefer establishing a group for them independent of the other groups (no quick key assigned to it), and the scanner will pull the name from that group if the UID is available. I actually use three groups -- Fire/EMS Units, Sheriff Units, and MSP Units. Keeps things somewhat sane.

The only downside is Charles' radio system, being a SmartZone, only sends the UID on the channel grant, so if the scanner picks up after that has passed, it won't get the UID. St. Mary's doesn't have this problem I'm told, as their EDACS system sends the UID out on every packet.

The list I'm going to try and put together will mostly be Fire/EMS, and a small handful of CCSO/MSP UIDs. I'm debating listing specific police units because of possible PII, especially for MSP since their call sign is stamped on their license plate, and some get to take their cruisers home. But units like Trooper 7 and the dispatch channels will get listed.

The attached photo shows FE Tac 1 active with Ambulance 399 keying up, with the backlight going red. I use cyan for CCSO and magenta for MSP (their lightbars mix to a purplish hue at times).