When should frequencies be changed during emergencies?

• A. Only when operationally necessary and/or a valid reason exists
• B. On every transmission
• C. At fixed intervals
• D. Never

Answer: (A)

Frequencies should be changed only when there is a real operational need. In a crisis, you want clear, reliable contact, so switching channels makes sense if the current frequency is congested, experiencing interference, or you need to reach teams on a different channel to keep critical information flowing. Changing frequencies unnecessarily would disrupt coordination, cause missed messages, and waste time as everyone must retune and re-establish contact. So, use frequency changes to support a specific objective, and ensure you coordinate with the incident command and notify all units beforehand, with a plan to revert to the primary channel when possible.