Plymouth County Control Fire/EMS Mutual-Aid System


Under Chapter 48, Section 59A of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - a fire department from one community is allowed to work within the jurisdiction of another for rendering aid. Under executive order from the Governor in the Acts of 1950 - Chapter 639 individual fire districts were created. Within each fire district is a "Control Point" that coordinates the mutual-aid activity for it's district. Plymouth County Control is the mutual-aid control point for Fire District 2, coordinating mutual-aid responses from one community to another; which includes 29 individual fire departments, as well as private ambulance companies. The primary mission for the mutual-aid center is as follows:

  • Provide coordination for all fire and EMS incidents within the County.
  • Facilitate the interoperable radio communications network with base station, mobile and portable radio communications, as well as the Sheriff's Department's Mobile Communications Unit that responds automatically to all three-alarm fires.
  • Assist local departments with outside resources such as state and federal agencies.
  • Coordination of specialty services, such as the Technical Rescue Team, Plymouth County Dive Team, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (C.I.S.D.) and Juvenile Fire setters Program.
  • Maintain daily contact with surrounding mutual-aid centers, such as Barnstable County Control and Norfolk County Control, as well as the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Headquarters in Framingham (MEMA).
  • Remain updated on Policies and procedures for the Southeastern Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services/Region 5, and the Department of Fire Services for Haz/Mat incidents and Statewide Mobilization Plan.

Each fire department in the district submits a plan or "run card" (see link), and each run card is specifically designed by each town to meet their needs for fire, EMS and specialty incidents. Some run cards submitted divide the community into districts for specific response from the closest city or town. The coordination of outside departments through the Plymouth County Control is mostly effective as it enables the local fire dispatcher to remain available to handle additional local incidents and not become tied up looking for assistance. the concept of mutual-aid is common among fire services nationwide, and helps deal with simple single EMS incidents to large scale incidents requiring the response of multiple departments referred to as strike teams and task forces. No individual organization, regardless of size can effectively and sufficiently handle all the challenges it may face.

With events such as Sept. 11 and several local major incidents requiring the assistance of several departments, the role and demand on the individual mutual-aid centers has never been greater. The Sheriff's Department works closely with the Plymouth County Fire Chiefs Association for all issues regarding operation of the system. And through this relationship, the department was able to receive Homeland Security Funding to upgrade the fire mutual-aid radio network and purchase a new state of the art mobile communications vehicle that will assist local law enforcement and fire agencies.

UHF "ID" Information


Plymouth County Control - Fire Mutual Aid/UHF Radio Network
Motorola MDC-1200 ID feature

TOWN ID LOW/HIGH TOWN STATION CHIEF
Abington 2900 - 2999 2900 2901
Bridgewater 0300 - 0399 0300 0301
Brockton 5500 - 5699 5500 5501
Carver 0200 - 0299 0200 0201
Cohasset 2200 - 2299 2200 2201
Duxbury 0400 - 0499 0400 0401
East Bridgewater 2500 - 2599 2700 2701
Halifax 0500 - 0599 0500 0501
Hanover 1000 - 1099 1000 1001
Hanson 0600 - 0699 0600 0601
Hingham 6100 - 6199 6100 6101
Hull 6200 - 6299 6200 6201
Kingston 0700 - 0799 0700 0701
Lakeville 0800 - 0899 0800 0801
Marion 1200 - 1299 1200 1201
Marshfield 1300 - 1399 1300 1301
Mattapoisett 2100 - 2199 2100 2101
Middleboro 0900 - 0999 0900 0901
Norwell 1100 - 1199 1100 1101
Onset 1400 - 1499 1400 1401
Pembroke 1500 - 1599 1500 1501
Plymouth 1600 - 1799 1600 1601
Plympton 1800 - 1899 1800 1801
Rochester 1900 - 1999 1900 1901
Rockland 2700 - 2799 2700 2701
Scituate 6300 - 6399 6300 6301
Wareham 3600 - 3699 3600 3601
West Bridgewater 2300 - 2399 2300 2301
Whitman 2400 - 2499 2400 2401
State 0100 - 0199 0100 0101
State Incident Support Unit ISU1=130B ISU2=130  
County Plane 0010 0010 0011
Ply Cnty Control Comm. Unit 0050    
Ply Cnty Control Comm.Unit portables 0051 - 0060    

Note: The above assignments are Motorola digital “ID” codes programmed into mobile and portable radios. They need not appear on any display. Assigned UNIQUE “ID” codes will identify any radio to the Mutual Aid Dispatcher at Plymouth County Control, either as an ID # or ALIAS, PCC will only assign alias for Departments that are in compliance with this numbering sequence.

Each town may assign its own “Alias” for local use.

Plymouth County Control Console ID's:

  • OP 1 = 880A
  • OP 2 = 88A0
  • OP 3 = 880B
  • OP 4 = 880C
  • OP 5 = 880D

UHF "ID" Assignments for Outside of Plymouth County


COUNTY TOWN ID LOW/HIGH STATION
       
Norfolk Norfolk County Control 6000 - 6009 6000
Norfolk County Control Holbrook Fire FAO-1 C461  
  Weymouth 6400 - 6449 6400
  Holbrook 6450 - 6499 6450
  Braintree 6500 - 6549 6500
  Randolph 6550 - 6599 6550
  Avon 6600- 6649 6600
  Stoughton 6650 - 6699 6650
  Canton 6700 - 6749 6700
  Sharon 6750 - 6799 6750
  Foxboro 6800 - 6849 6800
  Dem Dist #4 6850 - 6899 6850
  Other 6900 -  6999  
Barnstable Barnstable County Control 7000 - 7009 7000
  Bourne 7010 - 7029 7010
  Sandwich 7030 - 7049 7030
  Falmouth 7050 - 7059 7050
  Air Base 7060 - 7069 7060
  Dem Dist #1 7070 - 7079 7070
  Other 7080 - 7099  
Bristol Bristol County Control 8000 - 8009 8000
  Easton 8010 - 8019 8010
  Taunton 8020 - 8029 8020
  Raynham 8030 - 8039 8030
  Berkley 8040 - 8049 8040
  Freetown 8050 - 8059 8050
  Acushnet 8060 - 8069 8060
  Fairhaven 8070 - 8079 8070
  Dem Dist #3 8080 - 8089 8080
  Other 8090 - 8099  
Metro - Boston Boston FD "Metro Fire"   9000

UHF "ID" Assignments for Department of Environmental Management


DEM DISTRICT ID LOW/HIGH STATION
Plymouth - District 2 0010 - 0199 0100
Unit 1 - 0100
Plymouth Tower - 0102
Carver Tower - 0103
Kingston Tower - 0104
Middleboro Tower - 0105
Norwell Tower - 0106
Hanson Tower - 0107
> - 0108
> - 0109
Region One / Park - 0110
District 2 [mobile] 0111 - 0120 -
District 2 [portable] 0121 - 0150 -
Others 0151 - 0199 -
Barnstable - District 1 7070 - 7079 7070
Bristol - District 3 8080 - 8089 8080
Norfolk - District 4 6850 - 6899 6850