EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES UPDATES

General Discussion
#1

Hello to the Staff and others in the Group. I’ve put together a little update on Emerging Technologies/Communications for this year.

  1. There are NO changes to the CalFIRE Frequency Load for 2019. But expect some coming in 2020.

  2. The FCC has sent a letter out stating that the small compact OVERSEAS radios; Baofeng, Wouxun
    and others are not FCC CFR 47 Part 90 compliant (fcc.gov). These are the following reasons:
    They can transmit more than 1.75 watts of power.
    They are programmable through an outside source, ie a computer
    They can be programmed to transmit outside their intended frequency range (Amateur frequencies)

NIFC has explicit orders that you MAY NOT program Federal frequencies into these radios. You should only use the radios that are on the NIFC Approved Radio list. This list can be found on their website (nifc.gov/NIICD). So stop using these radios or you could be fined by the FCC.

  1. Verizon Wireless Emergency Response is going to start charging for their services starting this year.

  2. The Information Technology Specialist (Computer Tech. Spec.) are now under the direction of the
    Communication Unit Leader

I will update the list as other items become known.

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#2

Do you have a link from NWCG about the official change for the realignment of the CTSP?

#3

I’ll see what I can dig up from FIRESCOPE. ITSS Position Moving Under the COML

From:Pete Lawrence

Date:Fri, 31 Aug 2018 at 2:37pm

From the CalOES FIRESCOPE Quarterly Update…

  1. ICS reorganization of Information and Technology Specialist (ITSS) position: On the recommendations of the FIRESCOPE Communications, Emerging Information & Technology (EIT), and Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist Groups, the ITSS position has been reorganized within the ICS structure. Previously organized under the Plans Section, the ITSS position will now work under the Logistics Section and be supervised by the Communications Unit Leader. Personnel should be placed in the approved ordering system with the ITSS qualification and they will work in the Logistics Section. State and Federal Incident Management Teams have been briefed on this change and have plans in place to implement this new structure for the 2018 fire season. Plans to develop an ITSS Position Description are projected to be completed by the summer of 2019. Additionally, this position reorganization will be reflected in the new ICS 420-1 Field Operations Guide (FOG) projected to be published in 2021.
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