ERRCS Requirements in Colorado: Denver, Thornton & Statewide Rules

If you are building or renovating in Colorado, your fire marshal will almost certainly ask about emergency responder radio coverage before you get a Certificate of Occupancy. However, the rules are not the same everywhere in the state. Cities and fire districts each enforce their own version of the fire code, and the details can change your design, your testing and your schedule.

This guide explains how ERRCS requirements work in Colorado, what Denver and Thornton require, and how to keep your project on track.

What Is An ERRCS In Colorado?

An Emergency Responder Radio Coverage System (ERRCS) is an in-building system that carries police and fire radio signals into areas where they would otherwise drop out, such as stairwells, basements, parking garages and the core of large buildings. It usually includes a donor antenna on the roof, a bi-directional amplifier (BDA) and a network of indoor antennas and cable. You may also see it called an ERCES, a public safety DAS, or, in Denver, a Radio Enhancement System (RES). They all describe the same kind of system.

Colorado Doesn’t Have One Statewide ERRCS Rule

Colorado leaves most fire code adoption to local governments. As a result, cities and fire districts adopt their own edition of the International Fire Code (IFC), add local amendments, and publish their own ERRCS policies. Section 510 of the IFC is where the radio coverage requirements live, so the edition your jurisdiction uses, and how it amended Section 510, matters.

There are two important exceptions. First, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) has adopted the 2021 IFC as the minimum standard for the buildings under its oversight (DFPC adopted codes). Second, for public schools, charter schools and junior colleges, state rules give DFPC the authority to conduct or oversee plan review, building permits and inspections (8 CCR 1507-30). In other words, a school project may answer to the state rather than only to the local fire department.

Colorado ERRCS Requirements by Jurisdiction

Denver

Denver uses the Denver Fire Code, which is the IFC with Denver amendments. The 2022 Denver Building and Fire Code took effect May 1, 2023, and the city has been working on its next update based on the 2024 International Codes. Always confirm which edition applies when you submit.

The Denver Fire Department’s policy for radio enhancement systems (DFD Policy 510-1) is one of the most detailed in the state. Key points include:

• One BDA per structure. Connected buildings count as one structure.
• Band filtering. Amplifiers must pass only 806–816 MHz and 851–861 MHz.
• Signal level. The control channel must be stronger than -100 dBm at each test point, with -70 to -80 dBm recommended as a design target.
• Audio quality. A delivered audio quality of 3.4 or higher.
• Coverage. At least 95% on each floor and in parking areas, and 100% in areas of refuge, the fire command center, stairwells, main lobbies and elevator lobbies.
• Testing grid. Acceptance tests use a uniform 20 ft × 20 ft grid on every floor.
• Backup power. A UPS that runs the whole system for at least 4 hours.
• Ongoing testing. Annual inspections, plus a full repeat of the acceptance test every 5 years.
• Licensing. The contractors and technicians who design, install, test or service the system must hold a license issued by the Denver Fire Department.

Because Denver’s grid is fixed at 20 ft × 20 ft, a large floor plate can mean many more test points than the 20-area grid used elsewhere. Plan your testing time and budget for that.

Thornton

Thornton Fire Department publishes general requirements for emergency radio coverage (TFD-FPD #046) based on the 2024 IFC. Highlights include:

• Audio quality. A delivered audio quality (DAQ) of at least 3.0 on both the downlink and the uplink.
• Coverage. 95% of general areas and 99% of critical areas on each floor.
• Testing grid. Each floor is divided into 20 test areas. If two areas fail, the floor is retested with 40 areas.
• Qualifications. The designer and lead installer need an FCC General Radio Operator License (GROL) and in-building system training certification.
• Backup power. At least 12 hours at 100% capacity, with a low-battery signal when 70% of that capacity is used.
• Reporting. Test, inspection and service reports are submitted through The Compliance Engine.

Other Colorado ERRCS requirements in Aurora, Lakewood and the fire protection districts follow the same IFC Section 510 framework, but each adds its own amendments.

Radio Network Approval and FCC Rules in Colorado

Every ERRCS amplifies public safety radio frequencies, so it needs more than a fire permit. Under FCC rule 47 CFR 90.219, signal boosters on these frequencies require the consent of the radio system’s licensee, which in Colorado is typically the city, county or regional agency that operates the public safety radio network. In practice, that means coordinating with the radio system owner before you install or turn on the system.

How the Process Usually Works in Colorado

• 1. Confirm the AHJ. Find out whether your project answers to a city, a fire protection district or DFPC (for schools).
• 2. Test the building. Once the building envelope is complete, an RF grid test shows whether coverage already meets code.
• 3. Design and permit. If the building fails, an ERRCS is designed to the local policy and submitted for permit and radio licensee approval.
• 4. Install. A qualified, and in Denver licensed, team installs the system.
• 5. Acceptance test. The system is tested on the local grid and witnessed as required before the Certificate of Occupancy.
• 6. Keep it compliant. Schedule annual inspections and any 5-year retests.

Avoid Delays on Your Colorado ERRCS Project

• Test early. Most failed ERRCS projects in Colorado waited until the end of construction, leaving no time to design and permit a system.
• Read the local policy. Denver’s 4-hour UPS and Thornton’s 12-hour battery requirement lead to very different equipment choices.
• Plan for the grid. A 20 ft × 20 ft grid on a large floor plate takes longer to test than a 20-area grid.
• Coordinate with the radio system owner. Licensee consent can take time, so start the conversation during design.
• Use the right team. Look for FCC GROL and NICET-certified technicians, and in Denver, a contractor licensed by the Denver Fire Department.

Frequently Asked Questions

ERRCS Installation and Testing in Colorado

RFE Communications designs, installs and tests ERRCS across Colorado, including Denver and the Front Range. Learn more about our Colorado services or our ERRCS installation in Denver.