Central Florida ERRCS Compliance Checklist

Emergency Responder Radio Coverage — Orange · Seminole · Osceola · Lake · Volusia

Updated 2026 · Version 0.1 (draft) · safesignalflorida.com

DRAFT — PENDING COMPLIANCE REVIEW
This checklist was drafted from the Safe Signal Florida Compliance Guide and has not yet been reviewed or approved for public distribution. Do not publish, email to clients, or submit to an AHJ until sign-off is recorded at the end of this document.

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Use this checklist to work out whether a Central Florida property is likely to need emergency responder radio coverage (ERRCS) testing, what to gather before a test, and what the authority having jurisdiction will expect afterwards. It is a screening aid — it is not a code determination and it does not replace an on-site RF grid test.

1. Does this building need a grid test?

Tick every statement that is true of the property. One or more ticks means testing is likely required.

The building is a high-rise — occupied floor more than 75 ft above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. Gross floor area is over 12,000 sq ft. The building has a basement, below-grade level, or enclosed structured parking. It is a multi-story multi-family building of four storeys or more. It is a hotel, resort, or extended-stay property that is multi-story or large-footprint. It is a hospital, medical office building, assisted living, or other healthcare occupancy. It is new construction or a major renovation requiring a Certificate of Occupancy. A BDA, DAS, or ERRCS system is already installed anywhere in the building. The property has received a notice, correction, or inspection finding from the Fire Marshal about radio coverage.

Generally exempt: one- and two-family homes, townhouses, and buildings under 12,000 sq ft with no below-grade areas. Confirm with your AHJ — local amendments vary across the five counties.

2. Before the test — documents to gather

Current floor plans (PDF or CAD), including basement and parking levels. Certificate of Occupancy or permit number for new construction and major renovations. Any prior grid test, AHJ Accepted Testing, or annual recertification reports. Manufacturer documentation for any installed BDA/DAS — model, gain, filters, battery backup. Riser diagram and the location of the fire command centre or annunciator panel. Site access details: after-hours contact, roof access, locked-area escort, elevator keys. Name of the authority having jurisdiction and, if known, the assigned inspector.

3. What the grid test must cover

A compliant test is measured against IFC 510 / NFPA 1225 as adopted and amended locally.

Floor-by-floor grid measurement across the whole building, on the AHJ's grid division. Signal strength recorded for both inbound (downlink) and outbound (uplink) paths. General building areas meeting the adopted coverage threshold — commonly 95% of grid squares. Critical areas meeting the higher threshold — commonly 99% (stairwells, elevators, fire pump and command rooms, below-grade areas). Delivered audio quality assessed where the AHJ requires it — Orange County frequently applies a DAQ 3.0 standard. Test equipment make, model, calibration date, and the frequency band actually tested. Date, time, technician name, and technician credentials recorded.

4. AHJ submission package

Written test report on company letterhead, signed and dated. Marked-up floor plans showing every grid square and its pass or fail result. Summary of failed areas with the measured levels. Statement of the code edition and local amendment the test was performed against. Remediation plan if any area failed — or a written statement that no remediation is required. Copy retained by the building owner for the property compliance file.

5. Ongoing obligations

Diary the next grid assessment date using the table below. If a BDA/DAS is installed, schedule annual recertification — this is required, not optional. Confirm the system's battery backup is tested at the required interval. Re-test after any renovation, tenant fit-out, or change that alters the building envelope or floor layout. Re-test if the radio system operator changes frequencies or re-bands.

Testing frequency reference

Building type	Grid assessment (max)	Installed BDA/DAS system
High-rise (>75 ft) and buildings over 12,000 sq ft	Every 3 years	Annual recertification
Other existing buildings	Every 5 years	Annual, if a system is installed
New construction / major renovation	AHJ Accepted Testing (one-time)	Annual after installation
Any building with an installed BDA/DAS	Per 3-year cycle	Annual — required

Sign-off

This checklist is not approved for distribution until the rows below are completed.

Reviewed by	Role	Date

Official codes & statutes

Open the source documents this checklist is drawn from. Each link is the official publisher.

Florida Statute § 633.202 — Florida Legislature (Florida Fire Prevention Code; subsection (18) radio signal strength)
Florida Fire Prevention Code — State Fire Marshal, 8th Edition (2023)
Florida Building Code — Florida Building Commission (also free at ICC Digital Codes)
IFC Section 510 — International Fire Code, emergency responder communication coverage
NFPA 1225 — Standard for Emergency Services Communications

Disclaimer: This checklist is a screening aid compiled from public code references and Central Florida AHJ practice. It is not a certified RF study, an on-site walk test, or a code determination. Actual ERRCS requirements are set by the authority having jurisdiction under IFC 510 / NFPA 1225 and must be confirmed by field testing. Safe Signal Florida performs independent testing only and does not sell or install BDA, ERRCS, or DAS equipment.