Public Safety

There is no sense in trying to duplicate an already good source of information, so I’ve decided not to try.  A good listing of public safety frequencies and trunking systems already exists in the form of the RadioReference website.  What I will do here is offer links to the RadioReference pages that will list what is needed to monitor Public Safety in the Coastal Georgia area with an emphasis on the I-95 Corridor.  Along with the links are some comments based on my monitoring experience.

Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Engine 1

In regards to Chatham County and Savannah I’m frequently asked which system should be scanned for public safety communications, the Chatham-Effingham TRS or the SEGARRN system.  Personally, my answer would be both. If you only want to scan one system though, continue to monitor the Chatham-Effingham TRS because the agencies using SEGARRN radios in Chatham and Effingham counties are simulcast on the Chatham-Effingham TRS. An example is Savannah Fire and Emergency Services, their traffic is heard on both systems.  Southside Fire and EMS is frequently heard on both systems now as well. Some Effignham Fire/Rescue traffic is also starting to be heard on SEGARRN.   The reasons I scan both systems are to 1) keep up with what is starting to pop up on the new system and 2) hear public safety traffic from neighboring Bryan County.

 

Chatham County

Chatham County Public Safety Communications are almost entirely on Trunking Systems.  Much of the law enforcement activity is digital but most Fire and EMS communications are analog.  The Chatham-Effingham County TRS is currently in use with a transition in progress to the Southeast Georgia Regional Radio Network (SEGARRN).    There is still some VHF/UHF conventional traffic to be heard, primarily initial page out of EMS and Fire units.  Note:  The SEGARRN system is a fully digital system, you will need a 9600 baud P25 capable scanner to monitor it.

Chatham County Conventional
Chatham-Effingham TRS
Southeast Georgia Regional Radio Network

I have been asked whether or not you should scan both the Chatham-Effingham TRS and the SEGARRN TRS or just one of them.  At this time, my best answer is in this blog post from January 2013.

 

Bryan County

Most of the the Public Safety Communications in Bryan County are on the SEGARREN system, however you can still hear some EMS and Fire actiivty on the VHF repeaters.  Note:  The SEGARREN system is a fully digital system, you will need a 9600 baud P25 capable scanner to monitor it.

Bryan County Conventional
Southeast Georgia Regional Radio Network

 

Liberty County

Liberty County Public Safety Communications have transitioned from VHF conventional to the SEGARRN system.  Liberty County FD was the first to begin the transition and in late May 2012, Liberty County EMS, Liberty County SO, and Hinesville PD have been noted on the system as well. Note:  The SEGARRN system is a fully digital system, you will need a 9600 baud P25 capable scanner to monitor it.

Liberty County Conventional
Southeast Georgia Regional Radio Network

 

McIntosh County

McIntosh County Public Safety Communications are on Conventional VHF systems.  Note:  154.995 is shown as EMS Secondary, but recent monitoring indicates it is being used as primary dispatch for both EMS and Fire.

 

McIntosh County Conventional

 

Glynn County

Glynn County Public Safety Communications are primarily on the Glynn County TRS.  You are in luck for Fire and EMS communications if you don’t have a trunking scanner; the Glynn County FD F1 talkgroup is multicast on the 154.385 VHF repeater.  Most of the Glynn FD ops are on the that talkgroup, so you can hear most of their activity on the VHF repeater. A SEGARRN site is now active in Glynn County as well but so far there has no public safety activity on it.  Note:  The SEGARRN system is a fully digital system, you will need a 9600 baud P25 capable scanner to monitor it.

Glynn County Conventional
Glynn County TRS
Southeast Georgia Regional Radio Network

 

Camden County

Camden County Public Safety Communications are on VHF Conventional Systems.

Camden County Conventional

 

AirEvac Lifeteam

AirEvac Lifeteam provides medevac helicopter services throughout the southeast and coastal Georgia area from four bases:  Statesboro, Brunswick, Vidalia, and Waycross.  They use VHF frequencies for dispatch communications at each base (Thanks to Bill Collins, KG4BKO for much of the legwork on the AirEvac frequencies):

Air Evac Lifeteam 90, Waycross (N409AE) – 160.110 (DCS 026)
Air Evac Lifeteam 91,Vidalia (N269AE, Mode-S A2A071 ) – 151.730 (DCS 115)
Air Evac Lifeteam 95 , Statesboro (N296AE, Mode-S A30BC9) – 151.510 (DCS 072)
Air Evac Lifeteam 96, Jesup (N416AE, Mode-S A4EA6F) – 159.675 (DCS 226)

AirEvac 96 (N416AE)

 

Georgia Forestry Commission

159.255 – Base to Mobile, Mobile to Mobile
159.390 – Mobile to Base
159.285 – Southeast Compact
154.280 – Mutual Aid

District 10 – Statesboro
Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Emanuel, Effingham, Evans, Jenkins,
Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Screven, Tatnall

159.225 – District 10 Repeater
151.370 – District 10 Admin
151.475 – District 10 State Admin

District 8 – Waycross
Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Brantley, Clinch, Charlton, Camden, Coffee,
Echols, Glynn, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Ware, Wayne

159.120 – District 8 Repeater
151.145 – District 8 Admin
171.425 – District 8 State Admin