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10 codes
I have to ask because I am mad! I work for a F/T EMS service and I am a retired FF/Medic who has a question. How many Fire/EMS services still use 10 codes. I hate hearing 10-5 when you clear at a call. I think and thought that things were suppose to change follwing 9/11. Am I wrong? I guess what concerns me the most is that I was a carear FF/Medic in S.C and then moved back up north and started to run F/T EMS and the codes are diffrent. Is anyone also running into this problem?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Padre Pete on
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Dave, When "Smart Talk" came about some twenty years ago ( I think it was LA and /or Phoenix) it replaced the old Motorola military 10-Code. 10-code was developed to fool others about the conversation and to allow soldiers a necessary brief pause ("10") so the old unreliable equipment could catch up with the sender after the mic button was depressed. No longer required. Military personell coming home from WWII brought it with them to emergency services. Today everyone who wants one has a scanner and a copy of whatever code they may need. Around here "Smart Talk" was picked up as soon as it was introduced and has been the best thing that has happened to communications. Its all about saying what you mean. Teaching a code to people so they can try to remember what number to use so they can send it to someone else in the hope the reciever can decode it and pass it on accurately is not only antiquated but quite possibly dangerous. 10-codes served us well. Today they should go the way of the Chem-Ox Rebreather and the rubber coat. (10-4 does seem to be the acceptable exception) Keep The Faith Hero.
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Permalink Reply by Tom on
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My dept. got away from codes several years ago,however,some of our long time members still use em,old habbits are hard to break. The whole reason for them (codes) was to keep your message short and I guess privacy. I find that a lot of times people use "trigger" words anyway,i e : give me a 21. I think most people listening to scanners can figure out the codes on their own.
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Permalink Reply by Cody Baker on
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Our Department uses Codes like for ex. 10-8, 10-76 back to the station. We use what is easier for us if we use Med 3 is en route back to the barn which is our station that what we will use so we pretty much use what is easier and what the Dispatch can understand
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Permalink Reply by John Malcom on
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Nope you’re not wrong, but the fire service is very slow to change. The best communication is plain English! Part of the elimination was to make it so we can all communicate. But like I said before the fire service – 150 years of tradition unobstructed by progress.
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Well see we as I have said before just use what is easier. If we want to just use the ENGLISH to inform Dispatch of or 20 then we will do so. If we use the 10Code Step we will do that too. Its just how we do at our department.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Hayden on
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We still use em. Also use signals as well.
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Permalink Reply by morris washburn on
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I do in Tenn. but I am in Humpherys County ; We use the 10 code as far as being radio check , wheather we are in or out of service , a corpse , motor vehical accidentand other calls .most of the calls are used by the Sheriffs dept.The Dispatchers use 90% all the time . Terry what would you like to have ? the list that I have or the entire south !
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we use the 10 codes and signal's also here in TNN. I like both plain English and the codes.
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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on
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In Wytheville Va. No 10 codes are used ( nims 300). Talk on the radio like you do on the phone! We all need to make it easy.
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Even though I can not radio in because I am a Jr. and have not been properly trained to do so. I like Both I mean its hard for me to remember the 10 Codes so I usually go by English.
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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We still use 12 codes when talking with dispatch. Mostly plain text with other agencies.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Codes are a relic from the days of non-verbal communications (telegraphs and Morse code). 10-codes were originally a way to communicate concepts in fewer syllables, but when you say "10-18" instead of "Responding" the syllable count is 3 either way you state it.
Any code is a barrier to communication to anyone that doesn't "know the code". Thus, codes are an inherent barrier to communication. We don't need barriers, we need to mean what we say, say what we mean, and say it in a way that everyone can understand.
With encrypted communications being the norm, the cops don't even have the "maybe the crooks will listen in" excuse any more, even though some of them still have that in the "go to" bag.
A list of standardized plain English is the way to go, NIMS or no NIMS.
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