G1G4
Find em Hot, Leave em Wet
OK, here's a quick breakdown of the terms that you will probably see either myself, Jeff, dgates OHG or anyone else post if we're posting incidents that are happening around the tri-county area. This is mainly intended for people new to the scanner listening world, or those that just don't know. If you forget, this is another place you can look. The list will probably be updated when anyone can think of any I left out. If there are any you hear on the scanner and have a question about, you can also leave it here and it will (try to be) answered to the best of anyone's ability. The list will also be updated then.
NOTE if you hear something on the scanner and you are just interested in finding the one term, press the keyboard combination CTRL F to open up the find box on your browser. Type the term in and the result should come up. It will make it a whole lot easier than reading through the entire guide if your interested in one specific term.
BASIC TERMS
6I- Intoxicated/disorderly
ALS - Advanced Life Support
ATL - Attempt to Locate
BLS - Basic Life Support
CDS - Controlled Dangerous Substance. In short, drugs.
CMC - Civista Medical Center
CMH - Calvert Memorial Hospital
Code 601- running radar
Code Response - Lights and sirens. Urgent.
DOA - Dead on Arrival
DOP- Destruction of property
EP - Emergency Petition. The person usually goes into emergency custody of the police on scene for either mental reasons or other.
Expedite - In terms of responding, it means to step up your response, or respond quickly.
Extradite -To send a wanted person back to where they are wanted from.
GOA - Gone on Arrival
LZ - Landing Zone.
MDB - Short for Mobile DataBase.
MICU - Mass Incident Casulaity Unit
NCIC - National Crime Information Center. Almost any traffic stop will result in having the persons name run thru the database.
PC Search - Probable Cause Search. You'll hear this on traffic stops. It usually requires two officers.
PD - Short for 'Property Damage.' This is mainly used when referring to motor vehicle accidents that have no injuries.
PI - Short for 'Personal Injury.' This is used when referring to motor vehicle accidents with injury,
Shock Trauma - Commonly referred to as Baltimore Shock Trauma. Not too be confused with Prince George's Hospital
Simulcast - A simulcast is used when an incident is transmitted that requires more than one officer to respond to a call. Disturbances, motor vehicle accidents, attempted suicides and fights are examples of calls that would be simulcasted.
SMH - St. Mary's Hospital.
SOW- Sent on way
SRO - School Resource Officer
TA- trading as or business name
UTL- Unable to locate
VFD - Volunteer Fire Department
VRS - Volunteer Rescue Squad
PRIORITIES
Priority 1 - The most urgent and time critical priority. Emergency vehicle will be enroute with lights and sirens active until they arrive at their destination.
Priority 2 - The medium. The emergency vehicle will probably have their siren on most of the time, but their lights will always be active.
Priority 3 - Routine. The emergency vehicle will proceed to where they are going just as they would normally driving.
Priority 4 - Fatality. No action will be taken in transporting a patient.
NUMBER CODES
Number 1 - Black. EG; Number 1 male would be a black male.
Number 2 - White. EG; Number 2 male would be a white male.
Number 3 - Hispanic. EG; Number 3 male would be a hispanic male.
10 CODES
10-0 Caution
10-1 Unable to copy
10-3 Stop transmitting
10-4 OK
10-5 Relay
10-6 Busy
10-7 Out of service
10-8 In service
10-9 Repeat
10-10 Fight in progress
10-11 Dog case
10-12 Stand-by (stop)
10-13 Weather report
10-14 Prowler
10-15 Civil disturbance
10-16 Domestic problem
10-17 Meet complainant
10-18 Quickly
10-19 Return to
10-20 Location
10-21 Call _ by telephone
10-22 Disregard
10-23 Arrived at scene
10-24 Assignment completed
10-25 Report in person
10-26 Detaining subject
10-27 Driver's license information
10-28 Vehicle registration info.
10-29 Check for wanted
10-30 Unnecessary use of radio
10-31 Crime in progress
10-32 Man with gun
10-33 EMERGENCY
10-34 Riot
10-35 Major crime alert
10-36 Correct time
10-37 Investigate susp. vehicle
10-38 Stopping suspicious vehicle
10-39 Urgent - use light & siren
10-40 Silent run - no light/siren
10-41 Beginning tour of duty
10-42 Ending tour of duty
10-43 Information
10-44 Permission to leave
10-45 Animal carcass at
10-46 Assist motorist
10-47 Emergency road repair at
10-48 Traffic standard repair at
10-49 Traffic light out at
10-50 Accident (PI, PD)
10-51 Wrecker
10-52 Ambulance
10-53 Road blocked at
10-54 Livestock on highway
10-55 Intoxicated driver
10-56 Intoxicated pedestrian
10-57 Hit & Run (PI, PD)
10-58 Direct traffic
10-59 Convoy or escort
10-60 Squad in vicinity
10-61 Personnel in area
10-62 Reply to message
10-63 Prepare to make written copy
10-64 Message for local delivery
10-65 Net message assignment
10-66 Message cancellation
10-67 Clear for net message
10-68 Dispatch information
10-69 Message received
10-70 Fire alarm
10-71 Advise nature of fire
10-72 Report progress on fire
10-73 Smoke report
10-74 Negative
10-75 In contact with
10-76 Enroute
10-77 ETA
10-78 Need assistance
10-79 Notify coroner
10-80 Chase in progress
10-81 Breath test
10-82 Reserve lodging
10-83 Work school crossing at
10-84 If meeting _ advise ETA
10-85 Delayed due to
10-86 Officer/operator on duty
10-87 Pick up/distribute checks
10-88 Present telephone # of
10-89 Bomb threat
10-90 Bank alarm at
10-91 Pick up prisoner/subject
10-92 Improperly parked vehicle
10-93 Blockade
10-94 Drag racing
10-95 Prisoner/subject in custody
10-96 Mental subject
10-97 Radio test
10-98 Prison/jail break
10-99 Wanted/stolen indicated
PHONETIC ALPHABET
A - Adam
B - Boy
C - Charles
D - David
E - Edward
F - Frank
G - George
H - Henry
I - Ida
J - John
K - King
L - Lincoln
M - Mary
N - Nora
O - Ocean
P - Paul
Q - Queen
R - Robert
S - Sam
T - Tom
U - Union
V - Victor
W - William
X - Xray
Y - Young
Z - Zebra
CAUTION CODES
A - Armed
B - Dangerous
C - Mental
D - Armed/Mental
E - Suicidal
F - Armed/Suicidal
G - Resists Arrest
H - Armed & Resists Arrest
I - Dangerous & Resists Arrest
J - Mental & Resists Arrest
K - Suicidal & Resists Arrest
L - Approach with Caution
M - Assaults Police Officers
N - Drug User/Seller
O - Medical contagion
P - Prior arrests
ST MARY'S SHERIFF & LEONARDTOWN BARRACK MSP DIVISION CODES
Adam - Usually a supervisor. Usually a two digit number below 99. EG; "Adam 33 to St. Marys 10-8"
David - A corrections officer. Usually a 3 digit number above 600. EG; "David 668 St. Marys, enroute to the jail with one 10-95"
Ida - Part of the investigative/detective team. Usually a 3 or 4 digit number. The majority of the four digit units are part of the crime lab team, or civilian staff. EG; "Ida 1001 St. Marys, 10-8 in the county'
K9 - Self explanitory.
Paul - A regular patrol unit. These are the sheriff's you see patrolling the streets. They can be identified with any two or three digit number. "Paul 126 St. Mary's, 10-27, 10-29 on the registered owner'
Tom (or T) - These are the state police. When talking to their Leonardtown dispatch, they commonly refer to themselves as simply the letter T. When they need to talk to St. Mary's or any of the sheriff's, they refer to themselves as Tom. EG; 'T26 Leonardtown, Copy traffic -- 235 at MacArthur Boulevard'
FIRE AND RESCUE COMPANIES
ST. MARY'S COUNTY
Company 1 - Leonardtown VFD
Company 2 - Mechanicsville VFD -- Mechanicsville Station
Company 3 - Bay District VFD -- Lexington Park Station
Company 4 - Ridge VFD
Company 5 - Seventh District (Avenue) VFD
Company 6 - Second District (Valley Lee) VFD&RS
Company 7 - Hollywood VFD
'8' - This designation is used for Calvert County units coming into St. Mary's County. EG; Engine 831 would be Solomons Engine 31
Company 9 - Bay District VFD -- California Station
Company 13 - Pax River Fire Department
Company 14 - Pax River Fire Department -- Webster Field Annex
Company 19 - Leonardtown VRS
Company 22 - Mechanicsville VFD -- Golden Beach Station
Company 29 - Mechanicsville VRS
Company 38 - Lexington Park VRS -- Buck Hewitt Station
Company 39 - Lexington Park VRS -- Great Mills Station
Company 49 - Ridge VRS
Company 59 - Seventh District (Avenue) VRS
Company 79 - Hollywood VRS
Medic - The building is located in Leonardtown, however, they have four designations. Medics 1, 2, 3 and 391.
CHARLES COUNTY
Company 1 - La Plata VFD
Company 2 - Hughesville VFD&RS
Company 3 - Waldorf VFD&RS -- Waldorf Station
Company 4 - Nanjemoy VFD
Company 5 - Benedict VFD&RS
Company 6 - Cobb Island VFD
Company 7 - Potomac Heights VFD&RS
Company 8 - Tenth District (Marbury) VFD&RS
Company 9 - Indian Head VFD&RS
Company 10 - Bel Alton VFD&RS
Company 11 - Bryans Road VFD&RS
Company 12 - Waldorf VFD&RS - Westlake Station
Company 14 - Newburg VFD&RS
Company 15 - Dentsville VRS
Company 16 - Charles County EMS
Company 51 - Charles County Rescue Squad
Company 58 - Ironsides VRS
Company 60 - Charles County MICU
CALVERT COUNTY
Company 1 - North Beach VFD&RS
Company 2 - Prince Frederick VFD
Company 3 - Solomons VFD&RS
Company 4 - Prince Frederick VRS
Company 5 - Dunkirk VFD&RS
Company 6 - Huntingtown VFD&RS
Company 7 - St. Leonard VFD&RS
Company 8 - Mutual Aid Designation
Company 10 - ALS
Company 12 - Dive Team
NOTE if you hear something on the scanner and you are just interested in finding the one term, press the keyboard combination CTRL F to open up the find box on your browser. Type the term in and the result should come up. It will make it a whole lot easier than reading through the entire guide if your interested in one specific term.
BASIC TERMS
6I- Intoxicated/disorderly
ALS - Advanced Life Support
ATL - Attempt to Locate
BLS - Basic Life Support
CDS - Controlled Dangerous Substance. In short, drugs.
CMC - Civista Medical Center
CMH - Calvert Memorial Hospital
Code 601- running radar
Code Response - Lights and sirens. Urgent.
DOA - Dead on Arrival
DOP- Destruction of property
EP - Emergency Petition. The person usually goes into emergency custody of the police on scene for either mental reasons or other.
Expedite - In terms of responding, it means to step up your response, or respond quickly.
Extradite -To send a wanted person back to where they are wanted from.
GOA - Gone on Arrival
LZ - Landing Zone.
MDB - Short for Mobile DataBase.
MICU - Mass Incident Casulaity Unit
NCIC - National Crime Information Center. Almost any traffic stop will result in having the persons name run thru the database.
PC Search - Probable Cause Search. You'll hear this on traffic stops. It usually requires two officers.
PD - Short for 'Property Damage.' This is mainly used when referring to motor vehicle accidents that have no injuries.
PI - Short for 'Personal Injury.' This is used when referring to motor vehicle accidents with injury,
Shock Trauma - Commonly referred to as Baltimore Shock Trauma. Not too be confused with Prince George's Hospital
Simulcast - A simulcast is used when an incident is transmitted that requires more than one officer to respond to a call. Disturbances, motor vehicle accidents, attempted suicides and fights are examples of calls that would be simulcasted.
SMH - St. Mary's Hospital.
SOW- Sent on way
SRO - School Resource Officer
TA- trading as or business name
UTL- Unable to locate
VFD - Volunteer Fire Department
VRS - Volunteer Rescue Squad
PRIORITIES
Priority 1 - The most urgent and time critical priority. Emergency vehicle will be enroute with lights and sirens active until they arrive at their destination.
Priority 2 - The medium. The emergency vehicle will probably have their siren on most of the time, but their lights will always be active.
Priority 3 - Routine. The emergency vehicle will proceed to where they are going just as they would normally driving.
Priority 4 - Fatality. No action will be taken in transporting a patient.
NUMBER CODES
Number 1 - Black. EG; Number 1 male would be a black male.
Number 2 - White. EG; Number 2 male would be a white male.
Number 3 - Hispanic. EG; Number 3 male would be a hispanic male.
10 CODES
10-0 Caution
10-1 Unable to copy
10-3 Stop transmitting
10-4 OK
10-5 Relay
10-6 Busy
10-7 Out of service
10-8 In service
10-9 Repeat
10-10 Fight in progress
10-11 Dog case
10-12 Stand-by (stop)
10-13 Weather report
10-14 Prowler
10-15 Civil disturbance
10-16 Domestic problem
10-17 Meet complainant
10-18 Quickly
10-19 Return to
10-20 Location
10-21 Call _ by telephone
10-22 Disregard
10-23 Arrived at scene
10-24 Assignment completed
10-25 Report in person
10-26 Detaining subject
10-27 Driver's license information
10-28 Vehicle registration info.
10-29 Check for wanted
10-30 Unnecessary use of radio
10-31 Crime in progress
10-32 Man with gun
10-33 EMERGENCY
10-34 Riot
10-35 Major crime alert
10-36 Correct time
10-37 Investigate susp. vehicle
10-38 Stopping suspicious vehicle
10-39 Urgent - use light & siren
10-40 Silent run - no light/siren
10-41 Beginning tour of duty
10-42 Ending tour of duty
10-43 Information
10-44 Permission to leave
10-45 Animal carcass at
10-46 Assist motorist
10-47 Emergency road repair at
10-48 Traffic standard repair at
10-49 Traffic light out at
10-50 Accident (PI, PD)
10-51 Wrecker
10-52 Ambulance
10-53 Road blocked at
10-54 Livestock on highway
10-55 Intoxicated driver
10-56 Intoxicated pedestrian
10-57 Hit & Run (PI, PD)
10-58 Direct traffic
10-59 Convoy or escort
10-60 Squad in vicinity
10-61 Personnel in area
10-62 Reply to message
10-63 Prepare to make written copy
10-64 Message for local delivery
10-65 Net message assignment
10-66 Message cancellation
10-67 Clear for net message
10-68 Dispatch information
10-69 Message received
10-70 Fire alarm
10-71 Advise nature of fire
10-72 Report progress on fire
10-73 Smoke report
10-74 Negative
10-75 In contact with
10-76 Enroute
10-77 ETA
10-78 Need assistance
10-79 Notify coroner
10-80 Chase in progress
10-81 Breath test
10-82 Reserve lodging
10-83 Work school crossing at
10-84 If meeting _ advise ETA
10-85 Delayed due to
10-86 Officer/operator on duty
10-87 Pick up/distribute checks
10-88 Present telephone # of
10-89 Bomb threat
10-90 Bank alarm at
10-91 Pick up prisoner/subject
10-92 Improperly parked vehicle
10-93 Blockade
10-94 Drag racing
10-95 Prisoner/subject in custody
10-96 Mental subject
10-97 Radio test
10-98 Prison/jail break
10-99 Wanted/stolen indicated
PHONETIC ALPHABET
A - Adam
B - Boy
C - Charles
D - David
E - Edward
F - Frank
G - George
H - Henry
I - Ida
J - John
K - King
L - Lincoln
M - Mary
N - Nora
O - Ocean
P - Paul
Q - Queen
R - Robert
S - Sam
T - Tom
U - Union
V - Victor
W - William
X - Xray
Y - Young
Z - Zebra
CAUTION CODES
A - Armed
B - Dangerous
C - Mental
D - Armed/Mental
E - Suicidal
F - Armed/Suicidal
G - Resists Arrest
H - Armed & Resists Arrest
I - Dangerous & Resists Arrest
J - Mental & Resists Arrest
K - Suicidal & Resists Arrest
L - Approach with Caution
M - Assaults Police Officers
N - Drug User/Seller
O - Medical contagion
P - Prior arrests
ST MARY'S SHERIFF & LEONARDTOWN BARRACK MSP DIVISION CODES
Adam - Usually a supervisor. Usually a two digit number below 99. EG; "Adam 33 to St. Marys 10-8"
David - A corrections officer. Usually a 3 digit number above 600. EG; "David 668 St. Marys, enroute to the jail with one 10-95"
Ida - Part of the investigative/detective team. Usually a 3 or 4 digit number. The majority of the four digit units are part of the crime lab team, or civilian staff. EG; "Ida 1001 St. Marys, 10-8 in the county'
K9 - Self explanitory.
Paul - A regular patrol unit. These are the sheriff's you see patrolling the streets. They can be identified with any two or three digit number. "Paul 126 St. Mary's, 10-27, 10-29 on the registered owner'
Tom (or T) - These are the state police. When talking to their Leonardtown dispatch, they commonly refer to themselves as simply the letter T. When they need to talk to St. Mary's or any of the sheriff's, they refer to themselves as Tom. EG; 'T26 Leonardtown, Copy traffic -- 235 at MacArthur Boulevard'
FIRE AND RESCUE COMPANIES
ST. MARY'S COUNTY
Company 1 - Leonardtown VFD
Company 2 - Mechanicsville VFD -- Mechanicsville Station
Company 3 - Bay District VFD -- Lexington Park Station
Company 4 - Ridge VFD
Company 5 - Seventh District (Avenue) VFD
Company 6 - Second District (Valley Lee) VFD&RS
Company 7 - Hollywood VFD
'8' - This designation is used for Calvert County units coming into St. Mary's County. EG; Engine 831 would be Solomons Engine 31
Company 9 - Bay District VFD -- California Station
Company 13 - Pax River Fire Department
Company 14 - Pax River Fire Department -- Webster Field Annex
Company 19 - Leonardtown VRS
Company 22 - Mechanicsville VFD -- Golden Beach Station
Company 29 - Mechanicsville VRS
Company 38 - Lexington Park VRS -- Buck Hewitt Station
Company 39 - Lexington Park VRS -- Great Mills Station
Company 49 - Ridge VRS
Company 59 - Seventh District (Avenue) VRS
Company 79 - Hollywood VRS
Medic - The building is located in Leonardtown, however, they have four designations. Medics 1, 2, 3 and 391.
CHARLES COUNTY
Company 1 - La Plata VFD
Company 2 - Hughesville VFD&RS
Company 3 - Waldorf VFD&RS -- Waldorf Station
Company 4 - Nanjemoy VFD
Company 5 - Benedict VFD&RS
Company 6 - Cobb Island VFD
Company 7 - Potomac Heights VFD&RS
Company 8 - Tenth District (Marbury) VFD&RS
Company 9 - Indian Head VFD&RS
Company 10 - Bel Alton VFD&RS
Company 11 - Bryans Road VFD&RS
Company 12 - Waldorf VFD&RS - Westlake Station
Company 14 - Newburg VFD&RS
Company 15 - Dentsville VRS
Company 16 - Charles County EMS
Company 51 - Charles County Rescue Squad
Company 58 - Ironsides VRS
Company 60 - Charles County MICU
CALVERT COUNTY
Company 1 - North Beach VFD&RS
Company 2 - Prince Frederick VFD
Company 3 - Solomons VFD&RS
Company 4 - Prince Frederick VRS
Company 5 - Dunkirk VFD&RS
Company 6 - Huntingtown VFD&RS
Company 7 - St. Leonard VFD&RS
Company 8 - Mutual Aid Designation
Company 10 - ALS
Company 12 - Dive Team
Last edited:
