Seattle Fire Department Radio

This feed scans Fire, Rescue, and EMS operations for the Seattle Fire Department.
This feed does not scan the dispatch channel. All active incidents are posted online.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

This feed currently scans Seattle Fire Department channels 1, 2, 3 (fire/rescue responses), 5, 6 (EMS responses), 5 (contacting dispatch), 11, 12, 13 (command channels for 1-3), and 14, 15, 16 (emergency/mayday). This feed deliberately does not scan the automated dispatch on Channel 4, since the information on that channel is repeated on the tactical channel (1,2,3,6,7) when the units respond, and is also available online at the real-time links below.

In June 2025, the Seattle Fire Department announced that in early 2026 they are going to encrypt ALL radio channels except for channels 4 and 5. While SFD claims that this will improve security and privacy, these claims are a stretch at best and false at worst. The ability to listen to fire tactical operations has existed for decades and does not pose any realistic security concern. Sensitive information like door codes is conveyed over secure systems like CAD MDTs. This feed has never scanned Medic One Medcom radio channels used to describe patients' conditions.

Once this encryption goes into effect, this feed will switch to ONLY scan channels 4 and 5, since all other channels will no longer be accessible. Please support public access to these important radio feeds by reaching out to the SFD and City of Seattle.

VIEW ALL ACTIVE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENTS HERE: REAL-TIME 911 or PULSEPOINT

Long periods of silence are normal. This feed is delayed from real-time by approximately 30 seconds.

System: Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN) (Project 25 Phase II)
Site: West King County (800 MHz simulcast)
Receiving Equipment: Uniden BCD996P2 scanner connected via audio & data to a Windows server running ProScan

The Seattle Fire Department is dispatched by the SFD Fire Alarm Center (FAC). The primary 911 emergency communications center is the Seattle Community Safety and Communications Center (CSCC). The CSCC transfers 911 calls to the FAC for fire, rescue, and medical incidents.

RADIO CHANNELS:

Note: For privacy, some talkgroups including ambulance-to-hospital channels (Medcom) are intentionally omitted from this radio feed.

TABLE 1 - Seattle Fire Department, Zone 1 radio channels scanned on this feed:

TABLE 2 - Seattle Fire Department common terminology:

Typical Dispatch Order of Events:

1. Computer-aided dispatch on Channel 4 (not scanned on this feed), along with fire station alert and digital pager alert.
   [12:15 hours: Fire response on channel 2. Engine 18, 9, Ladder 8, Battalion 4. 5427 Russell Avenue Northwest. Cross of Northwest Market Street and 20 Avenue Northwest.]
2. When the first-due unit is responding, the dispatcher addresses the primary first-due unit on the response channel
   [Engine 18: Fire response. 5427 Russell Avenue Northwest.]
3. The first-due unit acknowledges that they're responding and repeats the address.
   [Engine 18, 5427 Russell Avenue Northwest.]
4. The dispatcher addresses the first-due units of other unit types. The units acknowledge that they're responding.
   [Ladder 8.], [Ladder 8 OK.], [Battalion 4.], [Battalion 4 OK.]
5. The dispatcher describes the incident in greater detail (this is known as "the chute").
   [This is for a report of smoke inside the Hi-Life restaurant, floor 1. Building alarm indicates smoke in room 112.]
6. Upon arrival, the first-in unit describes conditions, actions, and needs.
   [Engine 18 on-scene. Nothing visible; investigating. Evacuation in progress. Engine 18 establishing Russell Command.]
7. The dispatcher acknowledges the update.
   [OK Engine 18. Nothing visible, evacuation in progress. Engine 18 is Russell Command.]

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