Service Tags

Service tagging allows frequencies and talkgroups to be placed into general category-based groups. Do not be concerned that the wording of the service tag names does not exactly match what you believe to be the use of the frequency or talkgroup. Service tags should enable novice users to easily "filter" the frequencies or talkgroups for which they are searching.

Some examples of how this data is used includes:

• Queries of individual service uses within a specific area (e.g., display all fire dispatch frequencies and talkgroups in Dallas County).

• Program a scanner with all police dispatch channels in Southern California.

Tags and Guidance for Use

• Aircraft - All civilian or military air traffic control operations (typically in the 118-136 MHz and 225-380 MHz bands in AM mode). Other aviation frequencies (that are not used for air traffic control) shall be tagged with the most relevant non-Aircraft tag. Airline "company frequencies" (in the USA, typically in the 128.825-132.0 MHz and 136.5-136.975 MHz) shall be tagged as "Business." Aerial firefighting frequencies shall be tagged with the appropriate "Fire" tag.

• Business - For most business related entities not covered by other tags. Please note that the following tags override the "Business" tag and shall always be used instead when they are applicable: Media, Railroad, Security, Transportation and Utilities.

• Corrections - For jail/prison operations and other corrections activities, including federal prisons.

• Data - For data, paging, telemetry and most non-voice operations. Do not tag encrypted voice frequencies or talkgroups as "Data" (they shall be tagged with the more specific tag).

• Deprecated - This tag denotes a frequency or talkgroup that is no longer used. This tag shall be used only temporarily during transition/migration periods for new radio systems. Frequencies and talkgroups shall be deleted if they are truly obsolete, but in any case will be automatically purged 30 days after being tagged Deprecated.

• Emergency Ops - For Emergency Operation Centers and similar emergency management or disaster-related operations.

• EMS Dispatch - For EMS dispatch (including rescue squads and medical helicopter operations).

• EMS-Tac - For EMS on-scene communications, tactical operations and secondary channels. Please note that EMS-to-Hospital communications shall be tagged with "Hospital".

• EMS-Talk - For EMS talk-around, car-to-car and supervisor operations.

• Federal - For all federal government operations (except corrections, traditional law enforcement patrol and fire/EMS operations which shall be tagged using the more appropriate tags). In the USA, the Coast Guard shall be tagged as "Federal."

• Fire Dispatch - For fire dispatch, including combined fire/EMS dispatch.

• Fire-Tac - For fireground, tactical and on-scene communications, including combined fire/EMS operations.

• Fire-Talk - For fire talk-around and car-to-car operations, chiefs, supervisors, etc., including combined fire/EMS operations.

• Ham - For any amateur radio assignment.

• Hospital - For EMS-to-Hospital communications and patient reports (e.g., "Med" or "HEAR" channels). Please note that hospital operations, maintenance, etc. shall be tagged with "Business."

• Interop - Interoperability communications, cross-agency communications, mutual aid, etc. This tag includes inter-entity coordination as well as to interoperability between departments (e.g., police, fire and public works) of the same entity.

• Law Dispatch - Law enforcement dispatch.

• Law Tac - Law enforcement tactical, SWAT, on-scene, surveillance and specific sub-agency communications.

• Law Talk - Law enforcement talk-around, car-to-car and supervisor operations.

• Media - Newspapers, television and broadcast radio operations (most commonly in the 450/455 MHz and 161 MHz bands in the USA).

• Military - All military operations (e.g., air refueling, range control, air-to-air combat, etc.) including Civil Air Patrol in the USA. Military law, fire and EMS shall be tagged with the appropriate law, fire or EMS tag.

• Multi-Dispatch - For combined law enforcement and fire/EMS dispatch. This is a special case tag for operations that are combined as a matter of normal practice. Do not use this tag for interoperability channels, or combined Fire/EMS dispatch channels.

• Multi-Tac - For combined law enforcement and fire/EMS tactical and on-scene communications. This is a special case tag for operations that are combined as a matter of normal practice. Do not use this tag for interoperability channels, or combined Fire/EMS tactical channels.

• Multi-Talk - For combined law enforcement and fire/EMS tactical talk-around and car-to-car operations. This is a special case tag for operations that are combined as a matter of normal practice. Do not use this tag for interoperability channels, or combined Fire/EMS talk channels.

• Other - Anything not covered by the other tags. Note: This tag should rarely - if ever - be used, so in general pretend like it does not even exist. Administrators sometimes incorrectly use the "Other" tag on frequencies and talkgroups that should be labeled "Public Works."

• Public Works - Public agency non-public safety communications. This includes any non-public safety government services, such as trash, streets, roads, zoos, administration, maintenance, animal control, community initiatives, code compliance, etc. Please do not use the "Other" tag for government services. Exceptions: Public transportation and government security services shall be tagged with "Transportation" or "Security" respectively. Tag government-run utilities with the "Utilities" tag.

• Railroad - All common carrier railroad communications.

• Security - Non-law enforcement security operations, including private security companies, non- commissioned government agency security, school security, etc.

• Schools - School-related communications (schools, school buses, football games, etc.). Exception: Security shall be tagged with "Security" and law enforcement shall be tagged with the appropriate law enforcement tag.

• Transportation - Public and private bus, taxi and public passenger rail (isolated rail systems not connected to a common carrier railroad network) communications (except school buses).

• Utilities - Electric, water, natural gas, phone, cable TV, etc. operations whether provided by a private or governmental entity.

The complete list of all service tags and their designated usage is also found in the Database Administrator Handbook.

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