The Maryland First Responder Radio System Team (FiRST) is a Statewide APCO Project 25 Phase II 700 MHz trunked Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system with encryption capabilities for public safety. This system provides radio communication across the entire State. A public safety official located at Deep Creek Lake can talk with their counterparts in Ocean City. The system also provides air to ground channels for public safety flight operations
Maryland FiRST has been a great success in providing mission critical, interoperable, voice communications to Maryland's first responders. Maryland FiRST has grown to over 33,000 first responders as primary users with another 94,000 as interoperable users, and now averages over 3 million Push-To-Talks per month. There are now over 130 State agencies, counties, local governments, Federal agencies and neighboring State territories operating on MD FiRST as either Primary or Interop Users.
Joining Maryland FiRST
All State agencies, country/local governments, federal agencies or neighboring states with a public safety role interested in joining Maryland FiRST must follow the procedures outlined
here, and must be approved by the Radio Control Board. Questions about joining can be directed to
mdfirsthelpdesk@maryland.gov.
Maryland FiRST users can be state, federal, country or municipal agencies with a public safety missions and are classified as either Primary Users, Limited Primary User or Interoperability Users.
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Primary Users: A primary user agency is approved by the Radio Control Board and utilizes Maryland FiRST as their primary radio communications system to conduct daily operations. A primary user agency can be any Maryland State, county or local public safety agency.
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Limited Primary Users: A limited primary user agency is one which uses their own separate radio communications system for their primary daily operations. After approval by the Radio Control Board, the limited primary user agency is granted resources on Maryland FiRST on a limited basis. In the event of a major disruption to the agency’s home system, the limited primary user agency can “failover” to the Maryland FiRST system and conduct their primary radio communications on the system until such time as their home system is restored. A limited primary user agency can be any Maryland State, county, local or Federal public safety agency which is not already a Primary User.
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Interoperability Users: An interoperablility user agency is approved by the Radio Control Board and utilizes Maryland FiRST for interoperable communications during special events, emergencies, mutual aid and joint operation. They are authorized to use MD Call/TAC or MD Marine Call/TAC talkgroups and to enter into talkgroup sharing agreements with Primary User agencies. Interoperable user agencies can be federal, neighboring states, county or local public safety agencies.
Maryland FiRST User Support
For common question or issues when using MD FiRST please refer to the information and guidelines below:
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Report Coverage Issues: Fill out the
MD FiRST Radio Coverage Form to report specific locations of coverage issues on MD FiRST Statewide Radio System.
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Contact Us: Questions can be directed to
mdfirsthelpdesk@maryland.gov.
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Signal Booster (BDA) Registration and Requirements: View FCC requirements and learn how to register signal boosters.
Learn more about Maryland’s public safety communication networks, including signal booster registration,
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Lost or Compromised Subscriber Radio: In the event a subscriber radio is lost or stolen it is recommended that the Maryland FiRST System Manager be notified as soon as possible as well as notifying the other points of contact of the Maryland FiRST member agencies/organizations.
View guidance and instructions. The System Manager may be contacted at
MDFirstSystem.Manager@maryland.gov. -
Decommissioning Subscriber Radios: Maryland First has provided
guidance to support MD FiRST user agencies when removing all sensitive information from a radio before it is sold/transferred to another entity and information on the proper way to dispose of equipment. Use the
Checklist for Subscriber Decommissioning to help facilitate decommissioning public safety radios. Questions about the process can be directed to
mdfirsthelpdesk@maryland.gov.
Maryland FiRST Standard Operating Procedures and Standard Operating Guidelines
Questions about the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and Standard Operating Guidlines (SOG’s) below can be directed to
mdfirsthelpdesk@maryland.gov.
Selection Portable Radio Antenna Standard Operating Guidelines SOG 0.01A
MD First System Key Control Policy SOP 0.01B
MD First Lost or Compromised Radio SOG 0.02
MD Call MD TAC SOP 0.02B
MD Marine Call - MD Marine TAC SOP 0.04A
New User Process to Join Maryland FiRST SOP 0.05
Use of Maryland Direct Frequencies SOP 0.06
Use of Nationwide Low Power Frequencies SOP 0.07
Talkgroup Sharing Agreement SOP 0.08
MD Call MD Law SOP 0.09
MD Call MD Event SOP 0.10
Governance of Radio Control Board Working Groups SOP 0.11
Use of Third-Party Communications Interconnection Technologies with Maryland FiRST SOP 0.12
Subscriber Decommissioning SOP 0.13
Addendum A - Checklist for Subscriber Decommissioning SOP 0.13