Common Radio Mistakes Firefighters Make

Bad Radio Habits Are Everywhere

Most firefighters never get formal radio communication training. They learn by listening to senior members — and senior members often have 20 years of bad habits baked in. The result is a fireground where half the transmissions are unclear, too long, or missing critical information. Here are the ten most common mistakes and how to fix every one of them.

Mistake #1: Not Identifying Yourself

"Hey Command, we need another line up here." Who is "we"? Where is "here"? Command has no idea who just transmitted or where to send resources.

Fix: Always follow the format — who you're calling, who you are. "Command from Division 2. We need a second line to the second floor." Every time.

Mistake #2: Talking Too Fast

Adrenaline makes you speed up. You think you're speaking normally but the listener hears a wall of compressed noise, especially through SCBA and portable radio speakers.

Fix: Consciously slow down. What feels uncomfortably slow to you will sound clear to the listener. Practice speaking at half your natural speed during drills.

Mistake #3: Stepping on Other Transmissions

Two people keying up at the same time means nobody hears either transmission. This is especially dangerous during mayday or emergency traffic.

Fix: Listen before you transmit. If the channel is active, wait for a break. If it's an emergency, wait for the current transmission to finish, then key up immediately.

Mistake #4: Starting to Talk Before the Radio Activates

You press the PTT button and start talking simultaneously. The first half-second of your transmission is clipped — usually the most important word (your unit number).

Fix: Key, pause for a beat, then speak. Some departments teach "press, one-one-thousand, talk."

Mistake #5: Giving a Monologue

Long, rambling transmissions that try to cover every detail at once. By the time you're done, the IC has forgotten the first half and nobody else could get a word in.

Fix: Keep transmissions under 15 seconds. If you have more to say, break it into multiple exchanges. Use the CAN format to structure your message.

Mistake #6: Using Codes and Jargon

"10-4, we're going 10-23 on the deuce side." On a mutual aid incident, nobody from the neighboring departments knows what that means. Even within your own department, 10-codes introduce ambiguity.

Fix: Plain language, per NIMS. "Copy, we're standing by on Side Bravo." Clear, universal, professional.

Mistake #7: Freelance Channel Switching

Moving to a different channel without telling anyone. Now Command can't reach you, and if something goes wrong, nobody knows where you are in the communication plan.

Fix: Stay on your assigned channel. If you need to switch, notify Command first and get acknowledgment.

Mistake #8: Not Acknowledging Orders

Command assigns you a task and you just go do it without acknowledging. Command doesn't know if you heard them, if your radio is working, or if you're even still on the fireground.

Fix: Always repeat back assignments. "Engine 7 copies — pulling a second line to Division 2." This closes the communication loop and confirms understanding.

Mistake #9: Emotional Transmissions

Yelling, using profanity, or sounding panicked on the radio. It's contagious — one panicked transmission raises the stress level of everyone monitoring the channel.

Fix: Take a breath before keying up. Deliver information, not emotion. The calmer you sound, the calmer the fireground operates. This is a learned skill — practice it under stress.

Mistake #10: Never Practicing

This is the root cause of every other mistake on this list. If the only time you use your radio is on real calls, you're training under the worst possible conditions.

Fix: Incorporate radio communication into every drill, every shift, every tabletop exercise. Practice initial reports, CAN reports, mayday calls, and routine traffic. Make it as automatic as pulling a hoseline.

Build Better Habits

Radio communication is a skill, just like throwing ladders or forcing doors. It degrades without practice and improves with repetition. Record yourself during drills, listen back, and fix what you hear. The next time your crew is on a working fire and the transmission is clear, concise, and professional — that's training paying off.