Los Angeles Fire Department
Live Streaming Audio
NOTE: This web page remains under development
We receive many inquiries from those seeking live internet broadcasts of the Los Angeles Fire Department in action. Please scroll down for more information, or select one of these most Frequently Asked Questions...
Why can't I monitor authentic LAFD audio live on the Internet?
What is the benefit from using only an official LAFD audio source?
What will be the URL to specifically access live LAFD audio?
Q: Why can't I monitor authentic LAFD audio live on the Internet?
A: There is no official live audio source on-line at this time.
Q: Why don't you let someone do it un-officially?
A: The LAFD will not permit commercial or amateur rebroadcast of its audio without formal permission. Because of the potential harm from corrupt audio (intentional or otherwise), we insist that any audio be up to our technical standard and come directly from the consoles at our Dispatch Center.
We firmly believe any re-broadcast of LAFD radio signals without formal permission to be a violation of Federal Law. If you are aware of any person or organization that may be doing so, please notify them of our sincere concern. We suggest you report any suspected violation of this law to both our City Attorney and the Department of Justice via e-mail.
Q: What is the benefit from using only an official LAFD audio source?
A: Our Dispatch Center can provide an authentic digital quality signal directly to a dedicated high-capacity webserver in real-time. With the use of a supervised and secure webserver, there is lesser chance that our listeners will experience the many technical and listening problems that routinely plague amateur sites using unattended scanner radios. We also won't play pranks, charge a subscription fee, subject you to annoying advertisements or violate your privacy.
Q: When are you going to go on-line?
A: The computers that host the City of LA and LAFD websites have been updated to allow streaming media. While this feature is presently restricted tobroadcasts of the City Council, the addition of this hardware brings us one giant step closer to going live with streaming content. Still, our Department faces significant fiscal challenges, and it is not clear when discretionary funds might become available to fully implement our plans.
Q: How will I know when live LAFD audio becomes active?
A: There will be formal notice given to members of the LAFD Public Information Message Service.
Q: What will be the URL to specifically access live LAFD audio?
Q: What will I be able to hear when the system is activated?
A: Though we have not chosen a particular format, we do anticipate that our streaming and interactive content will be dynamic, inclusive and easily accessible. Our intent is to offer increasingly enhanced content as funds and technology permit. We will also offer a glossary of LAFD terminology so that casual visitors or listeners can better understand our operations.
Q: What else is planned for the LAFD website?
A: We know that many of you would like to see a real-time link to our Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System, similar to what the CHP offers. A public link to our CAD and LAFD GIS incident mapping system is certainly feasible, but regretfully not in our financial realm.
Q: What is this I hear about an LAFD "digital voice dispatch"?
A: Many of you have correctly heard that we use a digitized human voice for our emergency dispatch system.
In order to enhance our operations and speed the response of Firefighters and Paramedics, we began using a digitized human voice to alert our Fire Stations on February 22, 2000. This computer generated voice alert system should not be confused with a "DIGITAL RADIO SYSTEM". Our change to the digitized human voice for alerting our Fire Stations has no effect whatsoever on a persons ability to monitor LAFD tactical channels on a conventional scanner radio. It does however, allow us to more efficiently allocate resources in support of our primary mission - saving lives!
The digitized human voice dispatch system is proven technology. Some generic dispatch audio file samples from other agencies can be found here.
We understand that many of you have detailed questions regarding this system. Because of staff time constraints, we regretfully cannot answer personal e-mail inquiries regarding the digitized voice dispatch system at this time.
Q: What can I do to speed up or change things?
A: Nothing at the moment. We appreciate your interest in the LAFD, and are doing what we can to get live streaming content on the Internet as soon as possible. We created this web page to ease the immense burden of answering individual audio related e-mail questions, and thank you for taking the time to read these explanations.
Q: Is there any way to listen to the LAFD at this time?
A: Yes. The LAFD operates a fully repeated (analog conventional) radio system. The authentic and direct broadcast of our routine voice communications can be monitored almost anywhere in Southern California. All that is required is a readily available 800 MHz scanner radio. We encourage those living in or visiting Los Angeles to network with local monitoring enthusiasts for more information. To make things easier, we are pleased to provide a complete list of LAFD Voice Radio Frequencies to program into your scanner radio.