Common Terms and Resources

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NIFOG

NIFOG stands for the National Interoperability Field Operations Guide. The NIFOG is a DHS-issued field manual of nationwide interoperability radio frequencies and communications guidelines, used by first responders and emergency managers to stay coordinated during disasters.

What It Is

A reference guide published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Provides radio frequencies, channel names, and technical references that help public safety, emergency response, and support personnel communicate during incidents and disasters.
Designed as a pocket-sized field manual for first responders and communications professionals.

The NIFOG includes:

National interoperability channels for VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and 800 MHz public safety bands.
Channel naming conventions standardized by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).
Amateur radio, GMRS, CB, and other auxiliary frequencies sometimes used in emergencies.
Technical references, such as antenna guidelines, phonetic alphabets, PL tones, and satellite phone dialing.
ICS (Incident Command System) communications planning aids.

Purpose

Ensures that different agencies can talk to each other during multi-agency or multi-jurisdictional operations (wildfires, hurricanes, large events, etc.).
Helps technicians and operators program radios consistently across organizations.
Provides a quick reference for disaster and mutual-aid response where standard infrastructure may fail.

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