On Monday, January 22, 2024, at 8 a.m., the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) transitioned to the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS). As communications touches all aspects of the LACoFD, an intradepartmental team (named the LA-RICS Working Group) formed one year ago to evaluate operational opportunities and challenges related to this historic transition. Comprised of members of both the Command and Control Division and field operations, this working group instituted the:
• Utilization of increased capabilities of LA-RICS to introduce repeated command channels for all-hazard incidents.
• Creation of a new dispatch workflow that incorporates a dedicated dispatcher for every working incident.
• Development of new radio discipline guidelines.
• Organization of training materials for the dispatch team, field personnel, and interagency public safety partners.
The LA-RICS Working Group gathered on February 15, 2024, to celebrate the success of the transition, and to continue its work in ensuring that these new communications procedures meet the operational needs of the LACoFD.
The LACoFD is proud to have the following dedicated team members to be a part of this dynamic group.
Photographed from left to right:
Front Row – Fire Captain Grant Grunbaum, Fire Dispatcher II Landon Jensen, Lifeguard Assistant Chief Adam Uehara, Battalion Chief Louis Gaytan, Supervising Fire Dispatcher Al Jackson, Battalion Chief William Gamble, Acting Assistant Fire Chief Pat Sprengel, Fire Captain Abe Serrano, and Supervising Fire Dispatcher Eddie Pickett.
Back Row – Fire Dispatcher II Kevin Jones, Battalion Chiefs Steve Freeman, Jeremy Montgomery, and Dayton Calhoun, Fire Fighter Paramedic Steve Weston, Assistant Fire Chief Drew Smith, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Inman, Acting Assistant Fire Chief Nick Berkuta, Acting Assistant Fire Chief Ray Mitchison, Fire Captain Norm Queen, and Fire Dispatcher II Robert Markham.
LA-RICS Working Group members (not photographed): Deputy Fire Chief Eleni Pappas, Acting Assistant Fire Chief Derrick Chapman, Acting Assistant Fire Chief Rob Gaylor, Battalion Chief Mark Gajda, Fire Captains Tom Easton, Manny Sampang, and Tony Carcioppolo.
