WTFD Radio Communications

Washington Township Fire has moved to a UHF "T" band radio system. Equipment obtained via an Assistance to Firefighters Grant allowed for the purchase of the mobile and portable radios at no direct cost to the Washington Township taxpayer. These radios are compatible with upcoming federal regulations as well as the Morris County radio system.

The radio configuration is as follows:

Channel 1          CONTROL-1 (response repeater)
Channel 2          CONTROL-2 (backup channel/repeater)
Channel 3          Interior operations
Channel 4          Fireground operations
Channel 5          Heath Village Security
Channel 6          Hunterdon County Tactical - receive
Channel 7          Hunterdon County Fire 1 - receive
Channel 8          Hunterdon County Fire 2 - receive
Channel 9          Washington Twp. Road Dept.
Channel 10-48    Custom channels including MIRS & the NJICS UTAC channels for
                       statewide interoperability

The individual apparatus are numbered according to the Morris County NIMS plan which is shown in the example below. Fire radio operations utilize "Plain Language" for compliance with the National Incident Management System. Station dispatch can still be heard on frequency 154.325 MHz.  Click here to hear a sample paging tone.

Apparatus identification

Most of the Township apparatus also have legacy High Band VHF radios for backup and police monitoring, and low band radios for mutual aid to Hunterdon and Warren Counties. In addition, all apparatus mobile radios include the Morris County Interoperable Trunked Radio System (MIRS) channels for mutual aid communication throughout the County and Northern NJ region. Many SMFPA members also operate conventional UHF radios for response coordination and non-emergency communications.

Radio Communication History

The Washington Township Fire Department is dispatched by the Washington Township Police Communications Center. It was formerly served by the West Morris Communications Network (WMCN) which was established in 1969 with a New Jersey State SLEPA grant, and originally provided regional dispatching for Washington Township, Mansfield Township and seven Hunterdon County towns (Lebanon, Tewksbury, Clinton Borough and Township, Readington, Califon, and High Bridge). In 1975 with the inception of the Hunterdon County 911 system, the seven Hunterdon towns left the system, and with the closing of the old Morris County Police Radio system, Chester Borough and Township joined it. In 1980, the system underwent a major improvement project consisting of a complete overhaul in technical design and equipment replacement. The beginning of 1984 saw the addition of Independence Township's emergency services to the system.

On September 15, 1992, 9-1-1 service became operational for the Morris County municipalities. Beginning in 1997, Warren County began 9-1-1 service and those towns left the system. In 1998, with the move to a new headquarters, the system once again underwent a major redesign and improvement process, utilizing computer aided dispatch and equipping police cars with mobile data terminals (MDT).

WTPD now provides emergency services 9-1-1 call taking and dispatch for only Washington Township. Medical 9-1-1 calls are handled by CENCOM. The dispatch center is identified as "CONTROL" on all channels, and Firefighters are dispatched via voice alert and text pagers. Dispatch and operational communications primarily utilize narrowband UHF frequencies. The three Washington Township Fire Companies are designated as "Company 1" or "Long Valley" (Formerly Station 36), "Company 2" or "Fairmount" (Formerly Station 34), and "Company 3" or "Schooley's Mountain" (Formerly Station 35). All apparatus are equipped with Motorola XTL programmable mobile radios and XTS series portables.

For more information about the communications system, please contact us directly.