The Arizona Interagency Radio
System (AIRS) is a suite of full-time, cross-banded mutual aid
channels designed to provide interoperable communications
capability to first responders of police, fire, and EMS
agencies, as well as other personnel of municipal, county,
state, tribal, federal agencies and approved non-governmental
organizations (NGO’s) performing public safety activities. This
system operates on designated interoperability frequencies in
the VHF, UHF and 800 MHz bands. Agencies wishing to operate on
AIRS must sign a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Public Safety
(DPS) which holds the licenses for AIRS frequencies.
These radio frequencies are to be
used in the event of a multi-agency, multi-discipline, and/or
multi-jurisdictional operation requiring the use of the common
state radio channel(s), specifically for the use of
coordinating activities during identified incidents. AIRS
frequencies are not to be used by a single agency for routine
public safety operations. AIRS frequencies may, however, be
used by a single agency to reconstitute communications in the
event of a system failure or other significant communications
loss.
AIRS Training
The statewide AIRS training program is designed to promote AIRS by informing agencies about AIRS existence and capabilities, and ensure effective use of AIRS as a statewide interoperable communications asset. Arizona’s Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Office developed the AIRS training program with a grant from Federal Department of Homeland Security. AIRS training is endorsed by the Arizona Office of Homeland Security, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Arizona’s Public Safety Communications Advisory Commission. Please ensure the effective use of AIRS by making AIRS training an integral part of your agency’s ongoing training programs.
Upon completion of the AIRS training program, participants will be able to:
Identify when AIRS is to be used.
Demonstrate how to select the right channel.
Demonstrate understanding of plain English requirement.
Demonstrate understanding of requirement to use agency affiliation and title.
Demonstrate knowledge of system’s known limitations.
Demonstrate knowledge of the regional monitoring and dispatching capabilities.
Identify who to notify in their agency if there is a problem.
AIRS Narrowbanding: All AIRS Suites are now narrowband compliant
Arizona Interoperable Channels Plan - Priority Programming Guide
The Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) approved the Priority Programming Guides at the SIEC meeting on October 19, 2010 to standardize and increase interoperable communications throughout the state in the VHF, UHF, 700 and 800 MHz bands. It is suggested the each agency incorporate these channels into their channel plan the next time their radios are programmed, but no later than the narrowbanding deadline of January 1, 2013.
National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG)
The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) publishes the NIFOG as a reference guide for public safety radio technicians and communications planners. The waterproof, pocket-sized guide (also available in PDF format) contains radio regulations, tables of radio channels, and technical reference information. This guide is ideal for those establishing or repairing emergency communications in a disaster area.
- Revised