Communications Unit staff install and test communications equipment, supervise and operate the incident communications center, distribute and recover communications equipment assigned to incident personnel, and maintain and repair communications equipment on site.

Most complex incidents have an incident communications plan. Staff in the Communications Unit produce this plan, as they are responsible for assigning radio frequencies, establishing voice and data networks for command, tactical, support, and air units, setting up on-scene telephone and public-address equipment and providing any necessary off-incident communication links.

Under the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS) structure, the Communications Unit (COMU) is part of the Service Branch within the Logistics Section. 

Resources

COMU resources are regionally maintained by each of the state’s seven Emergency Communications Board (ECB) and Emergency Services Board (ESB) regions. These resources include:

• Communications Unit Leaders (COM-Ls) to assist with the development and implementation of an ICS-205 (Incident Radio Communications Plan) and manage incident related emergency communication operations.
• Communications Unit Technicians (COM-Ts) to assist with emergency communication equipment setup, distribution, maintenance, and sustainment.
• Incident Tactical Dispatchers (INTDs) are to provide incident-related dispatch support within the Incident Communications Center (ICC).
• Incident Communication Center Managers (INCMs) to assist with establishing, supervising, and managing operations within the Incident Communications Center (ICC).
• Auxiliary Emergency Communication Specialists (AECSs) to provide technological and operational land mobile radio communication support.
• Radio Operators (RADOs) to monitor and record incident-related communications.

 

Strategic Technology Reserve (STR) Resources:

The Strategic Technology Reserve (STR) provides a cache of emergency communications equipment to support incident operations. STR resources are maintained by each of the state’s seven ECB/ESB regions (regional STR resources) and ECN (state STR resources).

The regionally maintained STR cache is geographically dispersed at key locations across the state and includes:

• 180 ARMER system Motorola XTS series portable radios (non-encrypted) with chargers, spare batteries, and remote speaker microphones.
• Seven radio repeater tower trailers.

Other regionally/locally maintained STR resources include additional ARMER system portable radios, an ARMER system tower site trailer, and a number of mobile emergency communication vehicles.

The state-maintained STR cache is based at the DPS-ECN office in downtown St. Paul and includes: 

• 150 ARMER Motorola XTS series system portable radios (non-encrypted) with chargers, spare batteries and remote speaker microphones.
• A small quantity of UHF and VHF portable radios.