Florida · county · ERRCS / BDA requirements
ERRCS and BDA requirements in Orange County, Florida
Orange County Fire Rescue's Office of the Fire Marshal reviews and permits two-way radio enhancement systems in its service area, which does not include the City of Orlando. Its contractor checklist sets coverage, audio quality, power and monitoring rules based on NFPA 1221 (2019).
Guidance, not engineering advice. Rules on this page come from the documents listed under Sources. Confirm with Orange County Fire Rescue (OCFRD), Office of the Fire Marshal before you design, permit or test a system.
Who must comply
State rules apply here too. See Florida statewide rules.
| Rule | Effect | Citation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| No amplification system may be installed without prior coordination and approval of the Office of the Fire Marshal and the frequency license holder. | Note | OCFRD checklist item 13 (1221:9.6.5.1) | Orange County Fire Rescue, Office of the Fire Marshal |
| Trigger | Published value |
|---|---|
| Minimum building size | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Minimum stories | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Height trigger | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Below-grade areas | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Building types named | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Existing buildings must retrofit | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Compliance deadline | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
Orlando and some other cities in the county have their own fire departments. See the Orlando page.
Signal and coverage
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum downlink signal | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Minimum uplink signal | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Delivered audio quality (DAQ) | 3.0 |
| Coverage, general areas | 90% of floor area |
| Coverage, critical areas | 99% of floor area |
| Critical areas named | Fire command centers, Fire pump rooms, Exit stairs, Exit passageways, Elevator lobbies, Standpipe cabinets, Sprinkler sectional valve locations, Other areas the AHJ deems critical |
| Public safety radio bands | 800 MHz (Orange County radio system) |
The checklist sets audio quality (DAQ 3.0 inbound and outbound), not a dBm level. A passing report must show DAQ 3.0 or better.
How coverage is tested
One floor, 20 squares, a radio check in each
- 20 test areas per floorEach floor is divided into a grid of 20 roughly equal areas.IFC 2021 510.5.4
- One test spot per areaA spot near the center stands for the whole area. No extra spots after it is chosen.
- One failed area is allowedMore than one failed area fails the floor. With exactly two, the floor may be re-divided into 40 areas, and up to two non-adjacent failures are allowed.IFC 2021 510.5.4
- Critical areas count moreTypical model-code targets: 95 percent of all areas and 99 percent of critical areas such as stairs and elevator lobbies. Your fire marshal sets the numbers that apply to you.IFC 2021 510.4.1
Illustration: 19 of 20 areas pass, so this floor passes. Some fire departments use other numbers; Miami-Dade, for example, stops an acceptance test below 90 percent of general areas.
Testing
| Test | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance test | Send the DAS test results to [email protected] before acceptance testing. A passing report shows DAQ 3.0 or better. | OCFRD checklist, page 3 |
| Annual test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Five-year test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Coverage assessment interval | Set by state law: the fire marshal may require an interior coverage assessment no more than once every 3 years for an existing high-rise or an existing building over 12,000 total gross square feet, and once every 5 years for other existing buildings, with exceptions for major alterations, reported radio failures and imminent threats. | F.S. 633.202(18)(c)2 |
Maintenance and monitoring
- Two independent power supplies: a dedicated branch circuit and either a dedicated battery or an approved alternative giving 12 hours at 100% operation.
- Supervisory signals through the fire alarm system for donor antenna failure, RF device failure, low battery (70% of the 12-hour capacity used) and component failure.
- A dedicated monitoring panel in the fire command center.
- Components in NEMA 4 or 4X enclosures; lightning protection per NFPA 780.
Permit and inspection process
- Submit electrical engineering plans for the communications system with the building plans (riser diagram, equipment legend, cabling, device locations, backup power, testing requirements). Checklist items 1 to 2 (FAC 61G15-33.005)
- Apply for installation with the Office of the Fire Marshal, 7079 University Blvd, Winter Park. Checklist item 3
- After the permit is issued, apply to retransmit on the 800 MHz system through [email protected], ideally 30 days before activation, and register the signal booster with the FCC. Checklist items 17 to 18
- Send DAS test results to [email protected], then schedule acceptance testing. Checklist, page 3
After a notice
Six steps from the letter to a closed violation
- Read the noticeWrite down the code section, the deadline, the contact and what it asks for.
- Check the ruleRun the checker for your building and look for a published exemption.
- Get a signal testYou cannot size a fix without measuring floor by floor.IFC 2021 510.4.2.2
- Hire qualified peopleFCC general radio operator license and in-building training, at minimum.IFC 2021 510.5.3
- Consent, permit, install, testRadio licensee's consent, a permit, then the acceptance test.47 CFR 90.219(b)(1)(i); IFC 2021 510.3, 510.5.4
- Keep it compliantAn annual test and a report to the fire department, records kept on site.IFC 2021 510.6.1
In Florida, a required retrofit after the statutory dates gets at least 1 year from the notice of code violation (F.S. 633.202(18)(g)). Elsewhere, the date on your notice controls.
Your notice
How long do we have?
Every date here comes from the statute or rule cited under it.
In Florida, after the fire marshal issues a notice of code violation, the owner gets at least 1 year to complete a required retrofit. The date written on your notice controls; it may give you more. F.S. 633.202(18)(g)
Codes and standards referenced
| Code or standard | Edition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1 and NFPA 101, Florida editions), in force statewide | 8th edition (NFPA 1, Florida 2021 edition), effective December 31, 2023 | rule |
| NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code | 2019 | ocfr |
| NFPA 1221, Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems | 2019 | ocfr |
| Orange County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18, Sec. 18-32 | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | ocfr |
| F.A.C. 61G15-33.005, Design of Communication Systems | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | ocfr |
Notes
The checklist is undated; it cites the 8th edition Florida Fire Prevention Code and NFPA 1221 (2019).
Next step
Take the board a plan, not just a problem
Ask for up to 3 quotes from vetted installers who serve your area, or start with a one-page brief the board can read before the next meeting. Free for owners, boards and managers. No texts, no cold calls.
Questions people ask
What coverage does Orange County Fire Rescue require?
99% of floor area in critical areas such as fire command centers, fire pump rooms, exit stairs and elevator lobbies, and 90% in general areas, at DAQ 3.0 or better.
When do we ask the county for permission to rebroadcast its radio channels?
After the permit is issued, preferably 30 days before the system is switched on, by emailing [email protected].
Is Orange County Fire Rescue the fire marshal for a building in Orlando?
No. Inside Orlando city limits, the Orlando Fire Department's Fire Marshal's office is the AHJ.
Sources
Primary documents we read for this page. Rules change; confirm with your fire marshal (AHJ).
- Florida Statutes 2026, section 633.202, subsection (18), The Florida Senate
- Florida Fire Prevention Code, 8th edition: Florida amendments to NFPA 1 (2021 edition), sections 11.10.2 and 11.10.2.1, Florida Division of State Fire Marshal
- Rule 69A-60.003, F.A.C.: NFPA 1, the Fire Code, Florida 2021 edition, adopted (effective 12/31/2023), Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code
- Two-Way Radio Communication Enhancement Systems: Distributed Antenna System General Requirements (NFPA 1221, 2019 revision), Orange County Fire Rescue, Office of the Fire Marshal