more clear text coming to the coast...

[Caesar]

i apologize, i am not sure if it was Charleston or North Charleston, but i think it was North Charleston will be going to clear text in the near future, one of the captains called me asking how our transition went and what type of problems they might expect...

 

[LarrySC]

Several agencies have dropped their ten-code usage but I think they have missed the point. I understand the issue of talking to other departments using a different ten-code setup. Clear is needed for this type of comms, However, each department should maintain a specific code system for their agency. Casual listeners dont need to know everything going on in the real world. Those of us who think deeper than the code system can figure out most things and I hope we dont run around telling every thing we know. I have codes and detail info that I dont offer to the general public. I would rather hear a 10-66 than hear "The subject is pukeing his head off". Larry

 

[Caesar]

Several agencies have dropped their ten-code usage but I think they have missed the point. I understand the issue of talking to other departments using a different ten-code setup. Clear is needed for this type of comms, However, each department should maintain a specific code system for their agency. Casual listeners dont need to know everything going on in the real world. Those of us who think deeper than the code system can figure out most things and I hope we dont run around telling every thing we know. I have codes and detail info that I dont offer to the general public. I would rather hear a 10-66 than hear "The subject is pukeing his head off". Larry

i get what you are saying, but for them to truly be ready in a multi-agency emergency situation, they need to be already doing plain/clear text, otherwise in most cases they are going to revert back to what they are most comfortable with, which is their own set of 10 codes, and then interoperability is straight out the window...

 

[kg4ekc]

The fix to that is professionalism. Unit x enroute. Unit x on scene. Dispatch, "GI complaint" not the subject is pucking or what ever. The interesting thing is that clear text is quicker and better for everyone. The real issue is professionalism of dispatch and the units on the air. You can sound like an idiot using 10 codes as much as clear text. Well that was my 2 cents even though you really did not ask for it, LOL.

 

[LarrySC]

As Mr. Darling told Andy Griffith: More Power ToYah. HaHa

 

[rasj]

It has nothing to do with sounding like an idiot. Interoperability is the key. It's part of NIMS. The use of clear text is just a small part of the big picture. NIMS does not completely abolish the 10 codes however, but suggests clear text should be used for most incidents. Clear text is required during multi-agency incidents. Below is an excerpt from fema.gov

COMPONENT II: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
b. Common Terminology, Plain Language (Clear Text), Compatibility
The ability of emergency management/response personnel from different disciplines, jurisdictions, organizations, and agencies to work together depends greatly on their ability to communicate with each other. Common terminology enables emergency management/response personnel to communicate clearly with one another and effectively coordinate activities, no matter the size, scope, location, or complexity of the incident.
The use of plain language (clear text) in emergency management and incident response is a matter of public safety, especially the safety of emergency management/response personnel and those affected by the incident. It is critical that all those involved with an incident know and use commonly established operational structures, terminology, policies, and procedures. This will facilitate interoperability across agencies/organizations, jurisdictions, and disciplines.
All communications between organizational elements during an incident, whether oral or written, should be in plain language; this ensures that information dissemination is timely, clear, acknowledged, and understood by all intended recipients. Codes should not be used, and all communications should be confined to essential messages. The use of acronyms should be avoided during incidents requiring the participation of multiple agencies or organizations. Policies and procedures that foster compatibility should be defined to allow information sharing among all emergency management/response personnel and their affiliated organizations to the greatest extent possible.

c. Encryption or Tactical Language
When necessary, emergency management/response personnel and their affiliated organizations need to have a methodology and the systems in place to encrypt information so that security can be maintained. Although plain language may be appropriate during response to most incidents, tactical language is occasionally warranted due to the nature of the incident (e.g., during an ongoing terrorist event). The use of specialized encryption and tactical language should be incorporated into any comprehensive IAP or incident management communications plan.

NIMS Clear Text

While the NIMS Integration Center does not require plain language for internal operations, it strongly encourages it, as it is important to practice everyday terminology and procedures that will need to be used in emergency incidents and disasters. NIMS implementation is a long-term effort and it is probably not possible to persuade everyone to change ingrained habits overnight. But we do hope that over time, everyone will understand the important of using common terminology, that is, plain language, every day.
It is required that plain language be used for multi-agency, multi-jurisdiction and multi-discipline events, such as major disasters and exercises. Beginning FY 2006, federal preparedness grant funding is contingent on the use of plain language in incidents requiring assistance from responders from other agencies, jurisdictions, and functional disciplines.
The FY 2006 NIMS Implementation requirement to use plain language does not abolish the use of 10-codes in everyday department communications. Accordingly, the use of 10-codes in daily operations will not result in the loss of federal preparedness funds.

 

[rescuecomm]

How much things change and how everything remains the same! Pickens County EMS/Rescue is supposed to have been using clear text for a while. EMS/Rescue is still dispatched using the DHEC EMS signals and a motor vehicle accident is still a 10-50. I use enroute, on-scene, enroute to "hospital", and assignment complete. What do you say when your ambulance gets to the ER? If you say "on-scene hospital" , you will get a "Medic 2 10-9 last traffic ???". Dispatch will think that you went back to the original scene. Has the word "destinated" been accepted as proper English in todays world? I am listening to Greenville County at this time to see what those guys use.

Bob

 

[Caesar]

How much things change and how everything remains the same! Pickens County EMS/Rescue is supposed to have been using clear text for a while. EMS/Rescue is still dispatched using the DHEC EMS signals and a motor vehicle accident is still a 10-50. I use enroute, on-scene, enroute to "hospital", and assignment complete. What do you say when your ambulance gets to the ER? If you say "on-scene hospital" , you will get a "Medic 2 10-9 last traffic ???". Dispatch will think that you went back to the original scene. Has the word "destinated" been accepted as proper English in todays world? I am listening to Greenville County at this time to see what those guys use.

Bob

We just use "Central, Sierra 223 out at Richland/Lexington/Providence/Baptist/etc/etc"

 

[jdb]

How much things change and how everything remains the same! Pickens County EMS/Rescue is supposed to have been using clear text for a while. EMS/Rescue is still dispatched using the DHEC EMS signals and a motor vehicle accident is still a 10-50. I use enroute, on-scene, enroute to "hospital", and assignment complete. What do you say when your ambulance gets to the ER? If you say "on-scene hospital" , you will get a "Medic 2 10-9 last traffic ???". Dispatch will think that you went back to the original scene. Has the word "destinated" been accepted as proper English in todays world? I am listening to Greenville County at this time to see what those guys use.

Bob

for ems/fire
how about:
unit enroute
unit onscene
unit transporting to _____ hospital
unit arriving at ____ hospital
unit clear _____ hospital and enroute to station

if everyone would cooperate and make an effort to use clear text, I think we would see better results. When I worked in dispatch, in training we were taught to NOT use 10 codes, but the officers at the various agencies we dispatched for used almost exclusively 10 codes. So when you have some people (dispatch) trying to use clear text, and the majority of the field personnel insisting on using 10 codes, what can be done??

Greenville County EMS still mixes clear text and 10 codes. The GCSO uses only 10 codes, from what I have heard.

 

[JoeyC]

Using clear text is not rocket science. It cannot be effective if used haphazardly. You cannot have 10 different ways of saying the same thing in clear text either. Somebody needs to take charge and write policies and TRAIN people how to use the radio. I would think TRAINING an EMT to say something like Medic 2 enroute to X hospital with priority x patient. Or Medic 2 offloading at x hospital. or some other STANDARDIZED phraseology would not be a big deal. If you can't get people to cooperate, there is disciplinary action. If people still refuse to act professionally and use the preferred methods, you terminate them. Aviation has used standardized terminology forever, it WORKS, there is not question about what people are trying to communicate and it is no big deal. Why some police, fire and EMTs make more out of this than need be, is ridiculous.

 

[rescuecomm]

What you say is true about training employees in operational procedures. However in upstate SC, the sheriffs are elected officials and generally cannot be "made" to do anything. EMS systems usually operate under a director who works for the county administrator. Greenville County has separate Sheriff and EMS dispatch. Pickens County has all county dispatch in the same room along with some city fire dept dispatch. So a dispatcher working EMS plain language on one shift, might be using 10 codes on the other side of the room the next shift. The fire services tend to use NIMS much more religiously than any of the other services.

tain't nothin easy round heeyah.

Bob

 

[AlphaDelta10]

Yeah. North Charleston has been using clear text / plain language for about a week and a half now. It's sweet. There 10 Codes confused the hell out of me. Now if only Mount Pleasant PD would go.....!

 

[rescuecomm]

Greenville EMS apparently uses their MDT's to log in at the hospital.

Bob

 

[W4LNY]

His post mentioned City of Charlesrton, which I just heard this week is testing computer terminals and will be switching all officers over to them soon. I was at the Team 5 Sub Station and they were telling me about it.