EMS Channel names . . . continued
Probably true, you guys. I guess I was under the impression that the four VHF EMS channels were named the same thing, nationwide. Perhaps that is not the case.
I guess I'm also referring to the old channels before everything was lumped into "public safety". When I started scanning there were five (I originally said four, my apologies) VHF channels that were part of what was then called the "EMS Hospital Radio Service".
In IOWA for sure -- they were labeled thusly:
EMS 1 - 155.325
EMS 2 - 155.385
EMS 3 - 155.340
EMS 4 - 155.400
EMS 5 - 155.355
In my corner of the world, two of these channels are used a lot -- EMS 3 and EMS 4. And I live in a tri-state area -- these frequencies have been called these channel names all across my area for at least the last 20 or 25 years. I can't find any reference to it online, but I'm fairly certain those are their generic labels, nationwide. Again, this is a holdover from when they were the "EMS-Hospital Radio Service".
And yes, Jason, there are more VHF frequencies used for that purpose. But they are taken from a pool that used to be called the "Special Emergency Radio Service". Again -- this is all before they lumped everything into "public safety" ten years or so ago -- but it seems to still hold true today in my area. For instance, you don't find police on these frequencies -- yet. When it was "special emergency", there were some very specific kinds of traffic there -- not all related to EMS. Of course you could find the EMS traffic, but you could also find schools, school busses, FOR PROFIT busses, FOR PROFIT ambulances, and I believe search and rescue and disaster relief. For the most part, these frequencies are STILL used for these purposes, (at least in my area) even though the designation is now obsolete.
The VHF "Special Emergency" channels were:
155.160 Special Emergency
155.175 Special Emergency
155.205 Special Emergency
155.220 Special Emergency
155.235 Special Emergency
155.265 Special Emergency
155.280 Special Emergency
155.295 Special Emergency
Now, in Iowa, there was a specific band plan for EMS. Don't know if it's still in use, but I copied this from Michael W. Scheel, and will attempt to attach a little map here.
These labels were different from the EMS channel labels -- on this map, the number part of the channel name refers to the frequency and the letter refers to the tone. So in my area, 155.400 is called either "EMS 4" or "Region 3A". However, ambulances in my county as well as the ones to the north and west don't use 3A -- they use "Statewide" (155.340). Interestingly enough, the "Statewide" moniker is also used on that channel in the counties to my north (Minnesota) and I believe west (South Dakota)!
But yeah -- they could be referring to their own band plan. Come to think about it, I think these transmissions may have come from North Air Care out of the twin cities. Perhaps it's a Minnesota thing! LOL
Scott