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Clear Text or Radio Codes? Are you NIMS Compliant?
There has been a big push the last 10-years to do away with any code usage. This was primarily done because of mutual aid responses. It's too difficult for everyone to know all the various numerical codes that agencies were using. Not much is really standardized unless you are talking on a CB. A couple of years ago, this discussion occurred regarding the use of 10-Codes.
replied on
With words, everyone knows what is going on. Short, concise phrases or words are used to minimize radio traffic and in some cases, voice communications are minimized with the use of buttons on a computer console that indicates responding, on scene, available, etc.
One of the best descriptions of an emergency communications system was provided by who works in Fort Washington, Maryland.
"Our county uses computer dispatching along with numeric paging and station tone outs. We use standard vocal transmissions on 10 UHF channels one of them the main dispatch channel and the rest response and fireground channels. EMS radio channels are controled through state medical operations for medical transmissions to hospitals but we can transmit info on a response channel to our communications center so they can call the hospital by phone and tell them what a ambulance is bringing to them.
The med channels have tone guards so that units can use the same channel without messing with the other units in another county or state. As far as I know this is a nation wide radio system because we can transmit to hospitals in other states under direction of the state EMS operations.
The county is working on replacing the present radio system with a 700 to 800 mHz system. All the surrounding counties, cities and states have replaced theirs and our county was the holdout while the others are talking to each other and we are still using VHF mutual aid radios or putting their radios in our units to talk to them."
How are things done in Australia and New Zealand?
Aaron Whitford posted in a discussion that in New Zealand, they use a LMR (land mobile radio) network. This allows a "toned" message to be sent to the fire communications center to minimize voice communication. The LMR is posted above.
from Melbourne, Australia reported that they are dispatched by alpha/numeric pagers. Communication from then on is by VHF radio using repeaters. All communication is by plain English, with no use of codes. replied to this and provided and shared that the New Zealand Fire Service are again upgrading the LMR (land mobile radio) to touch screen computerized units.
So where do you stand now in 2010? Are you NIMS compliant? Has your agency been able to obtain and use the newer computerized systems or are they still using older radio systems. Of course there's always the option of using Blackberry's and iPhones down the road. Maybe this is the answer?
TCSS,
CBz
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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I was waiting to see if anyone noticed that little detail. Paying attention to detail is critical for survival and taking care of your crew sometimes. Good job Mike! CBz
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Permalink Reply by Todd on
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A few of the old timers when I started in the fire service way back when talked the same way on the mic. I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that at one time there was a train of thought that talking that way was taught as a way to prevent someone from "swallowing" the microphone.
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With the fire service we have been clear text for quite some time. We were watching old videos a while back and spent most of the time translating ten codes and signals for the new guys.
At my place of employment (a statewide law enforcement agency) we still use ten codes and signals. Why, I don't know other than they have always used ten codes and signals and tradition trumps all.
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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BZY, we use clear text when communicating with each other and MA agencies. However, when we talk with dispatch we use 12 codes.
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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We started using plain english about 2 yrs. ago in our county. The thing is, NIMS talks about interoperability between agencies. This still has yet to happen in our neck of the woods. My Chief and I were just talking about this last week. All of the fire departments in the county are pretty much on the same page. But when it comes to the county EMS and PD, not a chance. When we are called out for an accident we do our job, PD runs around the scene doing their job and EMS is doing their job. There is no one person in command of the scene and no unified command. Fire and EMS work pretty well together but the county sherriff's agency turns the scene into the world's largest cluster f***. They park in the way and try to take control of the scene without any regards to safety what so ever. As far as the 10 codes, PD is the only one's still using them around here.
Take care and stay safe everyone!!!
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sounds like some grant writing to justify an emergency service coordinator might be in order... what a mess.
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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Were using plain text and have been for a few years. EMS has come on board but the law enforcement still use 10 codes. They just like being different. The bad thing is it all communications come out of the same office. So it could be rough on the dispatchers.
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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Had a deputy who couldn't pronounce oropharyngeal, so I would just ask for those "damned airways", and he knew exactly what to get. Hows that for plain language?
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Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
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We had to do a little redefining plain english ,unfortunately we do have one lad on our department who needs constant supervision and though usually he's okay,but when you least expect it look out.
The call came in for an uncontrolled bleed and we have two nurses that run a lot of the medical calls with us. They went in and discovered the problem was a leaking colostomy,which they secured and cleaned the patient. We were told to cancel the ambo.
Guess who's on the radio in the pump so I told him to cancel because it was just a colostomy problem,then had to explain what a colostomy was . He contacted dispatch and had the message relayed to ambulance . I walked away content the message was delivered when dispatch asked why the ambulance was not needed. He hesitated couldn't remember colostomy and replied as we all crawled under the truck "the patient shit herself. Guess who's not allowed within 50 feet of a radio now.
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Permalink Reply by George A. Laiacona III on
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Clear, accurate, and understood communications has always been and will always be a problem. I doubt "plain text" will fix anything, even interoperability issues. We'll still have local dialect and slang issues. Rapid communications often is lost without the use of codes; "10-8, 10-12, 10-14" is much faster than "I'm back in service, standing by, send me my run number and times please" for example. But, even with all of the arguments for the use of codes, I like the plain talk option. Acknowledged means just that, whereas 10-4 means OK, or acknowledged, or copy that, etc.
As far as being NIMS compliant, I seriously doubt anyone is really fully "compliant".
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Permalink Reply by Ben "Batman" Barry on
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My department follows the county wide plain english policy due to the fact of high mutial aid responses. My EMS service uses 10 codes like they use O2. The regional medical dispatch (CMED for those who have heard of it) uses very few radio codes and that is for pt privacy. They have a rule that no other codes may be used. They get very upset if it happens. I think 10 codes are a good use for distress and pt confidentiality situations.
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i have always noticed that watching that show. wonder if it would work in the real world.
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