The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) is a collection of amateur radio technical reference material for radio technicians responsible for radios that will be used in disaster response applications. This pocketsize guide is ideal for radio technicians to carry at all times.

The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide may be used by radio technicians when programming channels in radios. It is recommended you have these channels programmed in radios at all times rather than waiting until a disaster is imminent or occurring to do the programming and is also of use to emergency communications planners.

Familiarize yourself: Do I need a license for these channels before programming them into radios? A license (for non-Federal radio users) or an authorization (for Federal users) is required only to TRANSMIT on an LMR radio frequency. No license or authorization is required to program the frequencies into radios.

Learn where to tune in for valuable information! Should Fire/EMS radios have the Law Enforcement interoperability channels programmed, and vice versa? All radios should have as many of these interoperability channels programmed as possible. Interoperability means crossing over lines, not only jurisdictional but functional as well. On the Federal interoperability channels, “Incident Response” (IR) means everybody – Fire, Rescue, EMS, Public Works, Transportation, Law Enforcement, etc. The “Law Enforcement” (LE) channels will be used “primarily” for Law Enforcement activities, but could be designated for other incident support operations if that would not hamper Law Enforcement activities, and if assigned by the agency in control of the incident.

This 76-page guide features answers to all of your questions. Understand the basics of incident response plans, know simple rules and regulations, and remember emergency channels (this portable guide is extremely handy!). With detailed tables and guides with safety and emergency information, this complete handbook is perfect for amateur radio emergency technicians.