Fire Hall 1 Radio Room

Located at Fire Hall 1 in central Surrey, SEPAR’s radio room serves as a critical hub for emergency communications. When infrastructure such as power, internet, and cellular networks fail, this facility provides a reliable, independent means of maintaining contact between emergency responders, municipal services, and the public.

Purpose-Built for Resilience

The radio room is designed to operate when conventional systems are compromised. Through the use of amateur radio networks and robust infrastructure, SEPAR ensures that critical messages can continue to flow even during widespread outages. With SARC and SEPAR members located throughout Surrey, we maintain a distributed communications network capable of relaying information across the city and region.

Comprehensive Communications Capability

The Fire Hall 1 station is equipped with a range of tools to support voice, digital, and data communications:

• Winlink station for digital messaging over HF, VHF, and UHF

• Three Icom 2820 VHF/UHF radios for local and regional voice communication

• Alinco 220 radio for additional frequency coverage

• Flex 6700 HF radio, with a planned multi-band trap vertical antenna for long-distance communication

• IMRS radio for integration with municipal systems

• 20 Icom UHF handheld radios for field deployment

• BC Warn system with dual Cisco 3850 switches

• Polycom VoIP phone

• Four computer workstations (three Windows, one Linux)

Communications Beyond Local Networks

The station enables reliable communication across Surrey, the Lower Mainland, and globally. In the event of infrastructure failure, operators can maintain contact with provincial emergency management agencies, coordinate local response efforts, and provide situational updates through HF, VHF, UHF, and digital networks.

High-Availability Networking with BC Warn

A key feature of the station is its connection to the BC Warn network. Unlike typical consumer internet services, BC Warn is engineered for resilience, maintaining internet connectivity when standard systems are unavailable. This allows SEPAR to continue passing messages, exchanging data, and supporting emergency operations.

Operational and Training Facility

In addition to its emergency role, the Fire Hall 1 radio room functions as a training and operations centre. Regular exercises and drills ensure that both personnel and equipment are ready for deployment. The facility also supports daily communications tasks, technical testing, and integration with partner agencies.

Supporting Surrey’s Emergency Communications

The Fire Hall 1 radio room is a key component of Surrey’s emergency communications strategy. Through a combination of redundant systems, trained operators, and resilient infrastructure, SEPAR provides an essential service that strengthens community preparedness and response capability.