Reader-supported. GopherTrunk is free, open-source software. Some
hardware links on this page go to Amazon with our Associates tag
(gophertrunk-20); if you buy through them we may earn a small
commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which gear we recommend, and
the software stays free either way. How GopherTrunk is funded →
Police, Fire & EMS Scanner Frequencies by Service
There is no single “police frequency” — US public safety and the services around it are spread across a dozen bands from 30 MHz to 900 MHz, and knowing which band a service lives on is what turns a scanner from a toy into a tool. This page is a band-plan reference; for the exact channels your local agencies use, pair it with RadioReference.
Key takeaways Public safety lives on VHF high (136–174), UHF (450–470), and 700/800 MHz trunked systems. Aviation is AM 108–137, marine is FM 156–162, railroad uses the AAR channels near 160–161, NOAA weather sits at 162.400–162.550. Frequency bands determine what your scanner needs to cover. Look up your exact channels on RadioReference — this page tells you where to look.
Public-safety bands at a glance
Police, fire, and EMS have migrated across bands over the decades. Older systems sit low; modern trunked systems sit high.
| Band | Range | Typical mode | Who’s there |
|---|---|---|---|
| VHF low | 30–50 MHz | Analog FM | Legacy fire/EMS, some rural, state agencies |
| VHF high | 136–174 MHz | FM / P25 | Fire, EMS, police, public works — very common |
| UHF | 450–470 MHz | FM / P25 / DMR | Police, fire, hospitals, business |
| UHF-T | 470–512 MHz | Trunked | Urban public safety in some metros |
| 700 MHz | 769–775 / 799–805 | P25 trunked | Modern interoperable public safety |
| 800 MHz | 806–824 / 851–869 | P25 / SmartNet | Big-city trunked systems |
Trunked vs. conventional. On VHF/UHF you’ll often find conventional channels — one frequency, one purpose. On 700/800 MHz you’ll almost always find trunked systems that pool many talkgroups across a few frequencies, which is why a trunk-tracking scanner (or GopherTrunk) matters there.
Police, fire & EMS detail
Because agencies choose their own band, the same city can have police on 800 MHz and volunteer fire on VHF. Expect a mix.
| Service | Common bands | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Police | VHF high, UHF, 700/800 MHz | Increasingly P25 trunked; some encrypted |
| Fire dispatch | VHF high, UHF, 700/800 MHz | Often stays clear — see fire & EMS scanner |
| Fireground / tactical | VHF high (151–159), UHF | Simplex on scene; the audio you want at a working fire |
| EMS / ambulance | VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz | Plus the MED channels below |
| EMS MED channels | ~155 MHz and 462/467 UHF MED | Hospital ↔ ambulance coordination |
Many of these carry an analog CTCSS/DCS sub-tone; a scanner receives them regardless, but knowing the tone helps identify a channel.
Aviation, marine, rail, weather
The non-public-safety spectrum is where the reliably-unencrypted action is — none of these is normally encrypted.
| Service | Frequencies | Mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation (air band) | 108–137 MHz | AM | Towers, approach, en-route; needs an AM-capable scanner |
| Marine VHF | 156.000–162.025 MHz | FM | Marine VHF; Ch 16 (156.800) is distress/calling |
| Railroad (AAR) | ~160.215–161.565 MHz | FM | 97 AAR channels; road, yard, and defect-detector traffic |
| NOAA weather | 162.400–162.550 MHz | FM | Seven channels; continuous forecasts and alerts |
NOAA weather channels in full: 162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, and 162.550 MHz. Any nearby transmitter uses one of these; your scanner’s “WX” button just cycles them.
Consumer & business bands
Easy listening that’s always in the clear — good for events, neighborhoods, and testing a new antenna.
| Service | Frequencies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FRS / GMRS | 462–467 MHz (22 channels) | Consumer walkie-talkies; GMRS is licensed, higher power |
| MURS | 151.820–154.600 MHz (5 channels) | License-free VHF business/personal |
| CB radio | 26.965–27.405 MHz (40 channels) | AM (and SSB); trucker and hobby traffic |
| Business / itinerant | VHF & UHF (e.g. 151, 154, 464, 469) | Stores, security, construction |
How to find your local frequencies
Band plans tell you where to point the radio; they don’t tell you what your city dispatches on. For that, one resource does the job.
- RadioReference is the database. Search your county to get actual agency frequencies, trunked system IDs and talkgroups, modes, and — critically — encryption status per channel.
- Note the four facts that matter: analog vs. digital, conventional vs. trunked, simulcast or not, and clear vs. encrypted. Those decide what hardware you need.
- Match the scanner to the plan. If everything local is analog VHF/UHF, a ~$110 Uniden BC125AT covers it. If it’s P25 trunked, you need a digital trunk-tracker like the BCD436HP — or an SDR running GopherTrunk. See the full best police scanners guide.
Check BC125AT price on Amazon →
Program from the database, not by hand. Uniden’s ZIP-code scanners and GopherTrunk both pull from public frequency data, so you rarely need to type frequencies manually — but understanding the band plan helps you know what you’re hearing.
Bottom line
US public safety spans VHF low, VHF high, UHF, and 700/800 MHz, while the reliably-clear services — aviation (AM 108–137), marine (156–162), railroad (160–161), and NOAA weather (162.400–162.550) — round out a rich listening picture. Use this reference to know where each service lives, then look up the exact channels for your county on RadioReference, and match your radio to what’s actually on the air. Worried some of it is locked? Read police scanner encryption explained.
Frequently asked questions
What frequencies do police use?
US police operate across several bands depending on the era and area: VHF high band (136–174 MHz), UHF (450–470 MHz), and 700/800 MHz public-safety trunked systems (769–775/799–805 and 806–824/851–869 MHz). There is no single ‘police frequency’ — it varies by agency, so look yours up on RadioReference.
What frequency is NOAA weather radio?
NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts on seven channels between 162.400 and 162.550 MHz (162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, 162.550). Every modern scanner and most weather radios receive them, and each transmitter uses whichever channel avoids overlap with neighbors.
What frequencies do fire and EMS use?
Fire and EMS appear on VHF low band (about 33–46 MHz on older systems), VHF high band (150–174 MHz, common for fireground), UHF (450–470 MHz), and 700/800 MHz trunked systems. EMS often also uses the VHF/UHF MED channels for hospital coordination.
Can I scan aviation and marine on a police scanner?
Yes, if the scanner covers those bands and modes. Aviation uses AM between 108–137 MHz, and marine uses FM on VHF 156–162 MHz. Most wideband scanners like the Uniden BC125AT cover both; make sure the radio does AM for air band.
How do I find the exact frequencies for my area?
Use RadioReference.com — search your county to get the actual agency frequencies, trunked system talkgroups, and encryption status. The band plans on this page tell you where to look; RadioReference tells you exactly what your local agencies use.
What are FRS and GMRS frequencies?
FRS and GMRS share 22 channels in the 462–467 MHz UHF range, used by consumer ‘walkie-talkie’ radios. They’re unencrypted and easy to scan, useful for events, stores, and neighborhood traffic.