Fairfax Fire Toned Out For Brush Fire In North Fairfax

[Henry]

Fairfax Fire responded to a reported brush fire on Brick Church Road in the vicinity of Rugg Road - Fire has been extinguished and Fairfax Fire is back in service.  This happened around 8 p.m.

[Rev. Elizabeth]

I have been wondering, Henry, where the expression 'toned out' comes from?

[mirjo]

Each town has a specific identifiable tone that Central dispatch rings when a 911 call comes in for that town. I assume this is where "toned out" comes from.  Since gone are the days of ringing the "fire bell" or siren,  Fire & Rescue crews get to know their own 'tones' when listening to central dispatches, because all the towns are toned out from there. Fairfax, however is on a different frequency so we only hear our own on individual radios instead of the entire county.

I don't know what you have programmed in your scanner Henry, but you have probably heard the high pitched squeal that is Georgia Fire/First Response and on the other end of the spectrum, Bakersfield, Sheldon, or Franklin fire has a very low monotone sound.

[Henry]

Hi Mirjo - Thanks for the excellent explanation.  I have very limited frequencies programmed into my scanner so that I know when it goes off it is local - I don't have the Mutual Aid on, only when I hear they are called.  I have noticed the different tones, but never had it explained to me.

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Thank you for the explanation!