The Common Voice Channels Every Public Safety Agency Should Have

Executive Summary

Interoperability failures during emergencies are rarely caused by a lack of radios. They are caused by a lack of shared, pre-planned communications paths.

The National Interoperable Frequencies exist to solve this problem. They provide a standardized set of nationwide, discipline-agnostic voice channels that allow responders from different agencies, jurisdictions, and radio systems to communicate immediately—without patches, gateways, or prior coordination.

These frequencies are not new, experimental, or optional. They are a core element of national emergency communications doctrine and are documented, standardized, and maintained in the National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG).

Agencies that fail to program, train on, and plan for these channels routinely rediscover the same lesson during incidents: interoperability cannot be improvised under stress.

What Are National Interoperable Frequencies?

National Interoperable Frequencies are designated radio channels across multiple public safety bands that are reserved specifically for interagency and interjurisdictional communications.

They are intended for:

Initial on-scene coordination
Mutual aid operations
Unified command
Cross-discipline communications
Incident expansion beyond local boundaries

These frequencies are:

Standardized nationwide
Authorized for use by eligible public safety entities
Documented in the NIFOG
Independent of vendor, system, or radio model

The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG)

The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) is the authoritative reference for national interoperability channels and procedures. It is produced and maintained by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

The NIFOG provides:

Official channel names and labels
Frequency assignments
Band-specific usage guidance
Operational notes and restrictions
Interoperability best practices

It is designed to be used:

In the field
In dispatch centers
In emergency operations centers (EOCs)
During incidents and exercises

Best practice: Every dispatch center, command vehicle, EOC, and COML kit should have immediate access to the NIFOG—either in print or digital form.

National Interoperable Frequency Bands

National interoperability channels exist across multiple spectrum bands, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of radios and environments.

VHF (Very High Frequency)

Common channel examples:

VCALL10
VTAC11–14

Best suited for:

Rural and wide-area operations
Wildland fire
Long-range simplex communications
Areas with limited infrastructure

UHF (Ultra High Frequency)

Common channel examples:

UCALL40
UTAC41–43

Best suited for:

Urban environments
Indoor operations
Agencies operating legacy UHF systems
Dense infrastructure areas

700 MHz

Common channel examples:

7CALL50
7TAC51–55

Best suited for:

Modern trunked systems
Urban and suburban operations
High-capacity mutual aid events

800 MHz

Common channel examples:

8CALL90
8TAC91–94

Best suited for:

Large metropolitan systems
Regional mutual aid
Statewide trunked environments

Channel Naming: Why It Matters

National interoperability channels use standardized naming conventions, not agency-specific labels.

For example:

VCALL = VHF Calling Channel
VTAC = VHF Tactical Channels
UCALL / UTAC = UHF Calling / Tactical
7CALL / 7TAC = 700 MHz
8CALL / 8TAC = 800 MHz

This common naming:

Eliminates confusion during mutual aid
Allows responders from different regions to align instantly
Enables dispatch and command staff to communicate clearly

Renaming these channels locally undermines interoperability and defeats their purpose.

How National Interoperable Frequencies Are Intended to Be Used

Calling vs Tactical Channels

CALL channels are used to establish contact
TAC channels are used to conduct operations

Best practice:

Make initial contact on the appropriate CALL channel
Assign one or more TAC channels for operations
Keep CALL channels clear for incoming resources

Simplex vs Repeater Use

Many interoperability channels are designed for simplex (radio-to-radio) use, not repeaters. This allows:

Rapid deployment
Infrastructure independence
Use in austere or damaged environments

Repeater use, where authorized, must follow regional coordination and NIFOG guidance.

Common Planning Failures

Agencies repeatedly encounter problems due to:

Interoperable channels not programmed into radios
Channels programmed inconsistently or incorrectly
Personnel unfamiliar with channel naming
No SOPs for when or how to use interoperability channels
Over-reliance on patches and gateways

The existence of the NIFOG does not guarantee interoperability—training and planning do.

Where National Interoperable Frequencies Fit in a Resilience Strategy

National interoperability channels are:

Infrastructure-light
Immediately available
Vendor-agnostic
Highly reliable for initial coordination

They are not:

A replacement for trunked systems
A substitute for satellite or HF systems
A solution for nationwide or long-haul communications

They are best viewed as the first interoperability layer—the bridge between agencies when incidents escalate beyond routine operations.

Best Practices for Agencies

Every public safety and emergency management organization should:

Program all applicable national interoperability channels into radios
Use standard NIFOG naming
Train personnel on when and how to use CALL vs TAC channels
Incorporate interoperability channels into exercises
Maintain access to the latest version of the NIFOG
Include interoperability procedures in TICPs and EOPs

Conclusion

The National Interoperable Frequencies are one of the simplest, most effective, and most underused interoperability tools available to public safety agencies.

They require no new infrastructure, no vendor integration, and no advanced technology—only planning, discipline, and training.

When agencies share common channels, common names, and common procedures, interoperability happens naturally. When they do not, it fails predictably.

The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) exists to prevent that failure. Agencies that treat it as optional do so at their own risk.