Fairfax County Police, Fire and EMS 🇺🇸

Fairfax County's Police, Fire & Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rely on a sophisticated P25 trunked radio system for seamless communication. This system, often called the "Fairfax County Trunked Radio System" or the "Fairfax County P25 System," operates primarily in the 800 MHz band, employing digital modulation techniques for enhanced audio quality and supporting encryption for sensitive communications. The transition to a P25 trunked system enables efficient use of the radio spectrum, dynamically assigning channels from a pool of available channels as needed. Managed by the Fairfax County Department of Information Technology (DIT), the system ensures reliability and facilitates interoperability with neighboring jurisdictions, as well as state and federal agencies. Each radio within the system is assigned a unique Radio ID (RID) for tracking and selective calling capabilities. Communication is structured around talkgroups, which are virtual channels assigned to specific units or incident types. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) utilizes numerous talkgroups organized by district, such as McLean, Reston, and Franconia, along with specialized units like SWAT and detectives. Similarly, the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department (FCFRD) employs talkgroups differentiated by incident type, station, and command channels. EMS units share talkgroups with the FCFRD for joint responses and maintain dedicated channels for dispatch and medical control.