Caernarvon Fire
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists Caernarvon's private fire talkgroup ("FD34 Private - Caernarvon") as encrypted on the Lancaster County-Wide Communications system, while county fire dispatch and fireground operations talkgroups remain unencrypted and are carried on live Broadcastify feeds.
Encryption Details
Lancaster County Context
Caernarvon Fire isn't an outlier here: 33 of the 36 public-safety agencies we track in Lancaster County are fully encrypted (92%), so most departments nearby have made the same move.
See every agency we track in Lancaster County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
This is a split system: certain talkgroups are encrypted while others remain in the clear, which means partial monitoring is still possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caernarvon Fire radio encrypted?
Yes — Caernarvon Fire's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. This is a split system: certain talkgroups are encrypted while others remain in the clear, which means partial monitoring is still possible.
Can I listen to Caernarvon Fire on a police scanner?
Partially. Caernarvon Fire encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Caernarvon Fire encrypt their radio?
Ask why, and the answer is usually officer safety, sometimes operational security. What is harder to obtain is any documented case in Lancaster County where an open channel caused harm. The costs need no such documentation: reporting on fire department response slows down, and mutual-aid coordination gets more awkward, immediately.
Can Lancaster 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 Caernarvon Fire encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Caernarvon 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 Lancaster County with you.