Fire Department Specific Channels

Paris City Fire

Bourbon, Kentucky

How we verified this

As of August 2026 RadioReference notes that "Paris Fire is dispatched & operates on Bourbon County Fire frequencies", where dispatch is only partially encrypted — "159.150 | Burbn FD Dsp | Fire and EMS - Dispatch | NXDN96e" — the fire ops repeater "155.115 | Fire Ops | NXDN96E" is fully encrypted, and two analog operations channels at 154.250 and 154.310 remain in the clear.

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09: radioreference.com . Encryption status changes without notice — confirm the current picture on the live RadioReference database before relying on it.

What you can do right now

Encryption Details

Encryption Type NXDN Scrambling
Scope Only Units. Dispatch is clear
Technical Details NXDN 15 bit scrambling

Bourbon County Context

Of the 4 public-safety agencies we track in Bourbon County, Paris City Fire is currently the only one we have flagged as encrypted.

What This Means

A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.

See encryption status nationwide Interactive map showing which US police departments have encrypted their radios. Open the encryption map →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paris City Fire radio encrypted?

Yes — Paris City Fire's radio system runs on NXDN Scrambling encryption. A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.

Can I listen to Paris City Fire on a police scanner?

Partially. Paris City Fire encrypts specific talkgroups rather than the whole system, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.

Why did Paris City Fire encrypt their radio?

Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Bourbon County; what's verifiable is what's lost — journalists can't monitor fire department activity in real time, and coordination with agencies that stay unencrypted gets harder.

Can Bourbon County reverse the encryption decision?

Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.

What can I do about Paris City Fire encryption?

Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Paris City Fire, and the recordings themselves — because a specific request is harder to wave away than a general complaint. Then take what you learn to a council meeting, and bring others from Bourbon County with you.

Data source: RadioReference Wiki

Checked against a primary source on 2026-08-09 — see "How we verified this" above. Encryption status changes; confirm at RadioReference before relying on it.

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