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Radio Communications - Allocation of Call Signs - Personnel

Tasking/Dispatch

Scope

This Operational Guideline outlines the process for allocating call signs to NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) District and Area Command personnel.

Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all RFS members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members.

Guiding Principles

  • All operational vehicles will have a call sign. The guidance for this is in RFS OPG – Radio Communications - Allocation of Call Signs - Resources.
  • Personnel call signs will provide consistency and clarity regarding the persons location and capability.
    • Any personnel that are not allocated a call sign, will utilise the call sign of the vehicle that they are using if necessary.
    • Other personnel, including unranked District personnel, with an operational function/requirement under the Rural Fires Act 1997 will be assigned a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) designation. The CAD designation is utilised to assign personnel to an operational vehicle and/or Duty/On Call function as required. This CAD designation is not to be utilised as a radio call sign.
  • The table below outlines the process for allocating District personnel call signs. The allocation of numerical sequence to personnel is to be determined locally and does not align to function (e.g., Capability, Community Risk, etc).

Role

Rationale

Call Sign example

District Manager

1 per District

Hawkesbury FCO 1

District 2IC

1 per District

Hawkesbury FCO 2

Other Ranked Roles within District

Any ranked officer in a marked vehicle. Sequence to be determined locally, starting from 10.

Hawkesbury Ops 10

Hawkesbury Ops 11 etc

Unranked District Roles

Unranked district staff / volunteers who undertake operational functions.

Utilise vehicle call signs.

Group Officers

Group Officers appointed within the district should use a numerical designation or combination.

Hawkesbury Group 1

Hawkesbury Group 2 etc

Deputy Group Officers

Deputy Group Officers appointed within the district should use a numerical designation or combination.

Hawkesbury Deputy Group 1

Hawkesbury Deputy Group 2 etc

Where multiples exist, the addition of an alphabetical identifier following will be used e.g. Deputy Group 1 Alpha.

District Duty Operations Officer

The person responsible as the “Duty Officer” for the district. The CAD designation will be assigned to this role to allow alerting from CAD.

Hawkesbury Duty

District On Call Officer

The ranked district staff member responsible for being “On Call” for the district. This person is the alternate to the “Duty Officer” and is also responsible to be alerted to attend incidents if required. The CAD designation will be assigned to this role to allow alerting from CAD.

Hawkesbury On Call

  • The table below outlines the process for allocating Area Command personnel call signs. The allocation of numerical sequence to personnel is to be determined locally and does not align to function (e.g., Capability, Community Risk, etc).

Role

Rationale

Call Sign example

Area Commander

1 per Area Command

Western Area Commander

Ranked Area Command Officer

Any ranked officer in a marked vehicle. Sequence to be determined locally, starting from 10.

Western Area Ops 10

Western Area Ops 11 etc

Unranked Area Command Staff

Unranked Area staff who undertake operational functions.

Utilise vehicle call signs.

  • The seven Area Commands will utilise the following prefixes for call signs:
    • North East Area Command
    • North West Area Command
    • Hunter Area Command
    • Greater Sydney Area Command
    • South East Area Command
    • South West Area Command
    • Western Area Command
  • Shortened versions of call signs, will not be used by radio.
  • Do not use a person’s name as a call sign.
  • The call sign of the Incident Controller (IC) consists of the name given to the incident followed by the word “Control” (e.g., ZULU Control).
  • The call signs of units with other specific Incident Control System (ICS) functions, at a particular incident, shall be given ICS call signs for the duration of the incident. These may include call signs containing ICS terms such as “Operations”, “Division”, “Sector”, “Staging Area”, “Strike Team” or “Task Force etc, plus a combination of any identifying number, letter, or location name (e.g., Alpha Sector, Three Sisters Division).

Special Considerations

  • Call signs for logging in CAD will be prefixed with an individual District Identifier, abbreviated Area / District name, Officer type, and number. This is to meet CAD character restrictions (e.g., Canobolas FCO 1 would be CZFCO1).
  • Officers will always use their plain language call sign (e.g., Canobolas FCO 1).
  • Personnel will need to be assigned to an appliance in CAD, the Operational Communications Centre (OCC) may ask for your vehicle call sign first.

Related Information

Content Owner: Area Operations
Date Approved: 16 Dec 2025
Review Required: 16 Dec 2028
Version: 1.0

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Content Owner: Area Operations
Date Approved: 16 Dec 2025
Review Required: 16 Dec 2028
Version: 1.0

Content Owner: Area Operations
Date Approved: 16 Dec 2025
Review Required: 16 Dec 2028
Version: 1.0

If you have any questions or feedback on Operational Doctrine, please email Ops.Performance@rfs.nsw.gov.au.