American Ambulance Radio codes

[redferrariowner]

Does anybody know any of the radio codes for American Ambulance? Their frequency is 155.22. I know they have 3 digit codes for different healthcare facilities, they use some 10 codes, and use codes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 for different levels of response. If you know any details, it would be great.

 

[oilmillcharlie]

American Ambulance

Here is what I have. May not be current.


When you hear the dispatcher assign calls, if it's a call not on the daily call sheet
(which he'll assign as "Handle patient Brown, call number 23A), he'll dispatch them as:

19 Code 3, 432 in the ED, patient Brown, going to 518

19 denotes that you are going to a hospital, code three is routine (no
lights), 432 is the facility code for WW Backus, and 518 is the facility code for St. Christopher's in Norwich.

The first part of the dispatch denotes how the call originated, who called American to report the call.

17 - Local Police Special codes:
18 - Private Residence
19 - Hospital 102A Lift assist
20 - SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) 103 Meal break
21 - DR's office 103L Drink break
22 - State police 104 Out Of Service
23 - 911 call 105 Special Assignment (errand)
24 - Local Fire dept. 106 Family member
25 - Neonatal transport 107 Notification (usually to a hospital)
27 - Call at Foxwoods. 108 Unfound
109 Cancelled
Codes: 110 Phone call
Code 1 - Life or death, get there as fast as you can 110A Alphanumeric page
Code 2 - Not as serious, but use your lights 111 Location (what's your 111?)
Code 3 - Routine, go with traffic 112 Complete
Code 4 - Code 1 with a code 3 approach 119 Narcotics (ie the narcs the medics carry)
Code 5 - Code 2 with a Code 3 approach

Hospitals start with a 4 Ten codes, which are taken from Norwich PD.
421 - Hartford,
431 - L&M, 10-00 Need police immediately
432 - Backus, 10-33 MVA
433 - Day Kimball, 10-42 Suicide attempt
435 - NACC 10-45 demented person
471 - Yale, 10-46 ETOH person (intoxicated)
478 - Windham, 10-50 Universal precautions
10-51 Fire

SNF's start with a 5
509 - Norwichtown Rehab,
511 - Hamilton Pavillion,
523 Haven Healthcare Danielson
524 Haven Healthcare Griswold
529 Villa Maria
530 Westview
533 Matulaitus
540 Village Manor
544 St. Joseph's Living Center
553 Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehab

Clinics start with a 7:
768 Gambro Dialysis Norwich,
769 Gambro Dialysis NL,
783 RI Renal Wakefield,
785 RI Renal Westerly,
791 Plainfield Walk-in clinic



American Ambulance Code Summary

Signals

17-Local Police
18-Private
19-Hospital
20-Nursing Home
21-Doctor
22-Ct. State Police
23-911
24-Fire Dept
25-Clinic
26-Neonatal
27-MPTN FD

Codes

1-Life Threatening
2-Urgent
3-Routine
4-Code 1 with Code 3 approach
5-Code 2 with Code 3 approach

Dispatch Codes

10-0 *Need PD immediately
10-05 *Rape/Sex offense
10-33 *MVA
10-42 *Suicidal
10-45 *Psych Pt.
10-46 *ETOH
10-50 *Body Substance Isolation
10-51 *Fire
10-52 *Requesting Supervisor
100 *Cardiac Arrest
100D DOA

Assignments

102A- Assist crew
103-Meal
103L- Break
104- Inoperative
105- Special Assignment
106-Family
107- Notification
108- Unfound
109- Cancelled Call
110- Phone Call
110A- Alpha Page
111- Location
112- Assignment Complete
115- Coverage needed at American HQ
116- Coverage needed at MPTN FD
118- Expedite for another call
119- Narcotics (on ambulance)

Location Codes

1-101- American HQ Norwich
1-105- Chelsea Fleet Services
1-106- Foxwoods Complex

Transport Codes

Signal O- On Scene or at location
BA- Begin Assignment
BT- Transporting

400 Series Codes- Hospitals
ex- 431=Lawrence and Memorial

500 Series Codes- Nursing Homes
ex- 560=Westerly Nursing Home

602- Gasoline Pump
603- Diesel Pump

700 Series Codes- Clinics
ex- 785= RI Renal Westerly

All vehicles have names rather than numbers

Any designation of American then a # is a supervisor.

Dispatch Example *

Zeus- Responding 24, Code 1 401 W. Town St. for the 10-45, 17 enroute. *

 

[redferrariowner]

WOW, exactly what I was hoping for, thanks a lot! Just for your own records, the few that I do know are correct, so I dont think it's too out dated, if at all, thanks!

 

[n7lxi]

A couple of other goodies, from a former AA employee...

Gamma units are Paramedics when they're on 155.22, when they're on a fire frequency they use a "Medic" callsign.

It's been ages since I've been home, but I seem recall the Gamma units working in Norwich were Medic 21 and Medic 22 and the New London L&M Medics were Medic 11 and Medic 12. That may have changed...correct me if I'm wrong.

The units are named after a mix of American Space Program vehicles (Mercury, Discovery and Apollo) and Greek letters. (Delta, Gamma, Epsilon) You'll see a small letter on the driver's side "A" post that will tell you that vehicle's "name".

On the radio, they always refer to the units as "cars".

Some other oddities, one radio term we used on the radio was "Maka" instead of "roger" or "received". I have no idea where that came from, but it was always said with a slight sneer on the radio... sort of drawn out... "Maaaaaaaaaaaka". Weird. I had forgotten all about that until I saw this post.

"BA" on the code sheet really meant "Back Available". There was always a code sheet in the rig somewhere. Youd get a call for some Nursing Home that you'd never been to before... the dispatcher would say the facility number and you'd look at your partner and say "Where the hell is that? Get the code sheet!"

We also had to announce when the rig was back in the greater Norwich area after a run to 785 or somewhere out of town. "American, Car Epsilon is back in the 1-101 area..."

155.28 was always channel 2 in the radios, back in the day we used Midland Syntech radios, and 155.28 was refered to as "tac 2" and was used as the "Dunkin' Donuts" order frequency when the dispatcher at 1-101 wanted something.

All the med patches to 432 were set up by fire dispatchers at Station N on Med 9, they paged the ED witha tone and you always made the patch on Med 3.

The transmitter site for 155.22 is on Gates Hill in Uncasville, on the WCTY tower. I remember the 'CTY site was broken into many years ago and the ambulance radios and station transmitters were vandalized... they never went off the air, though.

We used lousy portable radios, Motorola HT600 beasts that would die just when you really needed it!

I have some great stories about some of the shennanigans that went on in that building on "American Way"... and I haven't been there since 1990.

Good scanning to ya...

 

[redferrariowner]

AASI's medics when they go out of town is usually like medic 23, something like that. I dont think they use Gamma 1 anymore, I haven't seen it around. They usually just respond in their ambulances. L&M has medic 11, 12, 14, and I've seen other vehicles at 431 that say medic 10, and stuff like that, but never here them dispatched. I've never heard anyone say maka, just recieved, roger, stuff like that. The code sheets are now on a key chain worn on the shoulder next to your ID. Theres no more tac 2, just 155.22, and all the dispatching and operations go on there. The older portables are being phased out with newer ones. Im an Explorer there, its a new program, and they're possessive of their little codes (wont let me see their code sheet to copy it down). Do you have any questions about the facility now? Were you there when the had the huge Apallo? We have one type III ambulance, Explorer, which is setup for Bariatric pt.'s. Its got a heavy duty stretcher and a winch system. We have I think about 33 ambulances, and our newest, as of last month, is a new Apallo, which is like all the other type II, van style ambulances.

 

[n7lxi]

Yeah, the L&M medics were on 155.325? My memory is hazy.

Before this gets way off topic, I was there in 89 and 90, before moving to New Hampshire. Most of our rigs were Ford Econoline Type IIs. They were moving to all Diesel then, and olny one or two rigs were still gas. If I recall, Apollo was a gas Type II that did mostly 785 runs, but they reuse the names of the cars as they replace them. (I wound up crashing the old Gemini in the garage one Saturday morning... a day I'd like to forget!)

I was also a volunteer at EGPFD, I still miss the sound of the firehouse siren in the middle of the night. I guess I'll make sure I bring a scanner next time I'm home.

 

[jdemers]

American Code Sheet

I have a copy of the code sheet around here somewhere. I will try to scan it and post it sometime soon.

 

[redferrariowner]

Yeah, the L&M medics were on 155.325? My memory is hazy.

Before this gets way off topic, I was there in 89 and 90, before moving to New Hampshire. Most of our rigs were Ford Econoline Type IIs. They were moving to all Diesel then, and olny one or two rigs were still gas. If I recall, Apollo was a gas Type II that did mostly 785 runs, but they reuse the names of the cars as they replace them. (I wound up crashing the old Gemini in the garage one Saturday morning... a day I'd like to forget!)

I was also a volunteer at EGPFD, I still miss the sound of the firehouse siren in the middle of the night. I guess I'll make sure I bring a scanner next time I'm home.

Things have probably changed a lot since then, I think everything is diesel now, check out the website, they have pics of the apparatus under "vehicles" on the side. http://www.americanamb.com/

jdemers, if you've got more codes, I'd like to see them!

 

[kc4wwu]

American Ambulance

We also had to announce when the rig was back in the greater Norwich area after a run to 785 or somewhere out of town. "American, Car Epsilon is back in the 1-101 area..."

You remember why they called American 101.. then changed it to 1-101 Rob?

See if you remember that one.

73, Pete
K4QHR

 

[Ecnalubma]

American Code System

Hello,

Came across this site and figured I would clarify some things. Hope it is helpful.

The code 101 for the Norwich Base came from the address 101 West Main St. When 1-101 was built American applied for a street name for the drive way of One American Way. With no street address the facility code became 1-101 and stuck. Now there is 1-101, 1-102, 1-103, 1-104, 1-105 and 1-106.

As far as the ambulances go, they are still all Ford Econoline's. They are never referred to as "rigs", "trucks", "buses" or "vans" Always referred to as "Cars." The type 2's are E-350's and there are currently 2 E-450 type 3's. They are all diesel, however there is an order to replace the fleet with Freightliner Sprinters due to their safety, fuel economy and reliability. The new Ford 6.0 diesel has become a major issue for ambulance services around the country / world and are not reliable.

Gamma 1 is still around and its call sign on intercepts is "Medic 100". (Medic 20 through 30 are transport capable ALS cars) Currently Gamma 1 it is a 2008 Ford Explorer SSV. There are authorities for 2 more, but they are not needed at this time. Mostly used for supervisor duties. The ambulances are usually sent on intercepts in case a town can not get a crew or there are multiple patients and American can transport. Plus they are usually closer because than the Gamma unit and they are out and about and that cuts time to response.

Maka is seldom used today. Just by the old schoolers, but it is accepted. It comes from the Greek alphabet and basically means received, acknowledge, and understand. "Roger" doesn't work here is the saying and the term is not allowed.

There are two main frequencies one for the ambulances and one for the chair cars. The "Dunkin Donuts" orders are placed via pagers every employee is issued or Nextel Direct Connects.

"BA" stands for Back and Available not Begin Assignment and there is now a code "6" due to EMD influences on the EMS system.

Hope this helps.

 

[kc4wwu]

American Ambulance

The code 101 for the Norwich Base came from the address 101 West Main St. When 1-101 was built American applied for a street name for the drive way of One American Way. With no street address the facility code became 1-101 and stuck. Now there is 1-101, 1-102, 1-103, 1-104, 1-105 and 1-106.

Actually... if my memory serves me correctly, after American Ambulance (Professional Ambulance in the old days) left the old gas station on West Main, it moved to Sachem Street. I can't remember if it was on the corner of Sachem and Oneco or Sachem and Uncas Streets. At that location, there was a sign over the door that said 1101. I don't think that was actually the address on Sachem Street, but it was still pretty neat seeing that. After that it did move to the new American Way address. What a monster that was at the time!

I also remember, when they were still on West Main Street, they had a garage off of Franklin Street they used to park the Ambulances (cars) at, and also did the maintenance there. I have a picture of me and my buddies, Joe and Butch, standing there in front of one of the ambulances that actually says PROFESSIONAL on the side in BIG letters. Pretty cool.

So what are the new locations for? The 1-102, 1-103, etc? Just curious, I come up to the Norwich area usually twice a year and be nice to know.

I know the 155.220 transmitter is still on that big hill in Montville, on the WCTY tower. Man that is a powerhouse, you can American all over the place!

73, Pete
K4QHR

 

[Ecnalubma]

That's right on the 1-101 sign on Sachem. It was the old Swan Cadillac building. I forgot about that. It was Sachem and Oneco St where the temp. base was.

American still owns the Franklin St property, but rents it out to a dog day care company. The building was out grown for maintenance.

The maintenance is now done at a sister company at the old Norwich Lincoln Mercury on North Main St. (1-105) www.macarainc.com. The Chair cars are also housed there.

I would love to see that picture if you have it scanned in.

1-102 is the Marina at American Wharf. www.americanwharf.com
1-103 is Putts Up Dock, which burned down at the end of last summer and is going to be used for a hotel project.
1-104 was the Water Department building which was used for the limos and marina storage, but was recently taken for the Transportation Center. Still looking for a new facility for the storage.
1-105 is MACARA
1-106 is MPTN

Take care

 

[n7lxi]

Thank you Ecnalubma. It was good to see some of the stuff I remember was actually correct.

I'm guessing you're an "old timer" too, since you remember the history.

I had a lot of fun working at American back then... of course, I was just a dumb kid. I still find it amazing that they let us become EMTs and drive the rigs!

I think I have some pictures of the old Pro cars and the old building, too. I remember when American was called "PASAON" Professional Ambulance Service of Norwich. A crew came to Stanton School when I was a kid and I knew that one day I'd be driving one of those rigs.

Of course, I never thought it would be shuttle service to 785.

 

[Ecnalubma]

Pictures

If you have the ability to scan the pictures I would love to see them.

Thanks

 

[PSUMan190]

American

American Paramedics provide ALS intercepts to the southern portion of QV's coverage area (towns like Griswold, Voluntown, Plainfield, Baltic, Lisbon etc) - they'll operate on 33.88 or 33.74 when responding to those calls. Back in the day, QV would call American and give them the details of the call to request a paramedic via 155.34 (Statewide MEDnet) but I don't hear them doing that much anymore - they must be calling them via phone now.

 

[n7lxi]

This is an old thread, but I just saw some photos of the new "Gamma 2", or QV Medic 1.

Awesome truck!

 

[jdemers]

AASI Code Sheet

Found the actual code sheet online.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...WQtYzg5Zi00ZDc4LWI0MGItNTQyYjkzNTI3NmE5&hl=en

 

[55engine]

Anybody know if the AMR codes are still the same

 

[MrAntiDigital]

I too enjoyed reading this thread.

Just to add, before moving to West Main St and Falls Ave, then PASON (Professional Ambulance Service of Norwich) was located in an old house on New London Turnpike, just across the street from the East Great Plains Fire Dept. That goes back to around 1975/1976 when I first moved to Norwich.

The deal was, if PASON wanted to continue providing the emergency ambulance service for Norwich, the city would sign a contract with them, then owned and operated by the late Ron Allanio, if they would move closer into the center city area. They did by converting an old gas station on West Main St into their new building.

Also at the time, PASON was receiving assistance and backing from Professional Ambulance Service of Hartford.

For those who might know them, Jerry R., once a supervisor with American, became a Norwich 911 Dispatcher, which he still does today.

Marvin H., a former part time employee/retired Norwich Fire Lt is now employed fulltime at American Ambulance as a supervisor.

Last I knew, Don H., of Rhode Island became a paramedic with L & M Medics in New London.

I had many occasions to work with the EMTs and Medics of Professional Ambulance and later American Ambulance. They were really good at what they did.
I even got them to treat me and give me a ride in one of their ambulances a few times.

THANKS GUYS. I appreciate how you took care of me when I was hurtin' a little. I guess I'm alive and well today THANKS TO YOU.

Willy D
Norwich, CT