Westmorland County Fire
Westmorland, Pennsylvania
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference marks Westmoreland County's countywide and per-zone fire administration talkgroups and the hazmat tactical talkgroups on ICORRS as partially encrypted, while the fire command and fireground TAC talkgroups remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
Westmorland County Context
Westmorland County is a mixed picture: 1 of 5 agencies we track here are fully encrypted (20%), which means some neighboring departments are still audible on a scanner.
See every agency we track in Westmorland County → County encryption overview →
What This Means
A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Westmorland County Fire radio encrypted?
Yes — Westmorland County Fire's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 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 Westmorland County Fire on a police scanner?
Partially. Westmorland County Fire encrypts specific talkgroups rather than the whole system, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Westmorland County Fire encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Westmorland County-specific evidence that open communications ever caused a problem, while the loss of public oversight and the friction with still-unencrypted neighboring agencies are both immediate and real.
Can Westmorland 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 Westmorland County Fire encryption?
Ask for the paperwork first — the policy that authorised encryption for Westmorland County 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 Westmorland County with you.