NWCDS


openMHZ
STARCOM21 Site 102
openmhz.com/system/sc21102

ENCRYPTION
Around 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 15, 2025, Northwest Central Dispatch System (NWCDS) switched to encryption. There was no over-the-air announcement regarding encryption activation for the fire talk groups as there was when the police communications transitioned to encryption in 2013.

Fireground 800 MHz talk groups may be available on OpenMHz sc21102, since the fireground Talk Groups were not initially encrypted and have not been encrypted as of August 5, 2026.


SOME INFO BELOW IS OBSOLETE/OUTDATED ...

(Select Filter: District or listen to all; however this is a busy feed that does not reliably carry all Northwest Central Dispatch System talkgroups)

Some talk groups from NWCDS are available on the busy STARTCOM21 Site 102 broadcast from openMHZ that is best known for Illinois State Police communications and ISPERN -- the Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network, which is featured on ChicagoPoliceScanner. 

NWCDS (Northwest Central Dispatch System) is the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center for ...

Arlington Heights Police and Fire
Buffalo Grove Police and Fire
Elk Grove Village Police and Fire
Hoffman Estates Police and Fire
Inverness Police and Palatine Rural Fire Protection District
Mount Prospect Police and Fire
Palatine Police and Fire
Prospect Heights Police
Rolling Meadows Police and Fire
Schaumburg Police and Fire
Streamwood Police and Fire
Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District

Barrington Police and Fire are expected to be included with the NWCDS system in 2022

NWCDS is also available on a variety of Broadcastify feeds.

BROADCASTIFY: 



NWCD FD3 Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Streamwood
Streamwood Fire Dispatch | Feed Archives

MOBILE

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Fireground Red is a universal channel that may receive neighboring communities if they use Fireground red. Most communities use the 800 MHz Talk Groups, which they refer to as "800 fireground." Some believe Fireground Red is more reliable because there is no half-second delay, and the communication is direct radio-to-radio, instead of going through a relay system from radio-to-tower-to-radio.

Fireground Red (Streamwood) | Feed Archives

MOBILE

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RECENTLY DELETED: FD 1: Elk Grove Village, Palatine, Palatine Rural, and Rolling Meadows. FD 2: Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Mount Prospect FD 3: Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Streamwood
Northwest Central Fire | Feed Archives

MOBILE

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The following feed includes fire departments for a wide geographical area, and includes fire departments adjacent to the NWCDS area. The feed includes IFERN and multiple north communities.
Chicago Suburban Fire Departments, MABAS and IFERN

MOBILE

 Chicago Suburban Fire Departments ... Feed Archives

Northwest Central Dispatch frequency and Talk Group information is found on the RadioReference.com STARCOM21 Statewide Illinois page (look for "Cook County - Northwest Central Dispatch Talkgroups" or "NWCD") ...

Cook County - Northwest Central Dispatch Talkgroups are TDMA Phase 2. Most Law Enforcement Talk Groups and all Law Dispatch Talk Groups are encrypted.

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ALL FEEDS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT IMMEDIATE UPDATES ON ChicagoFireScanner.com

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