Getting Familiar with Terms Used on the Scanner

[toppick08]

please,....no good buddies......

 

[G1G4]

ok....i didn't read through the whole thread. i know its a priorty 4....what do the police call it though doa?

They usually call it Priority 4. I've heard them say DOA to.

please,....no good buddies......

 

[dgates80]

I asked DeeJay to make this a sticky for future reference. This is a great FAQ, G1G4!

-- Don

 

[G1G4]

Cool, now if anyone gets lost -- it's at the top. Thanks!

Also, while I'm at it, if you have any Calvert specific radio designations, do post them. I'd like this to be as complete (in terms of the tri-county area) as we could possibly make it. Unfortunately, I'm not big on how Charles and Calvert do things.

 

[G1G4]

I've updated the basic terms and also added the company listing for every fire department and rescue squad in the tri-county area. Enjoy.

 

[dgates80]

Often in a 10-68 dispatcher's reply one will hear "C-Charles", referring to the driver's license being a Class C license -- i.e., an ordinary car driver's license. A Class A license is for 18 wheeler truck / commercial drivers, a Class B is also commercial for things like dump trucks and delivery vehicles. I am sure the MVA web site has more consise definitions for those.

Every once in a while you will hear an interesting 10-68 reply that you *know* is going to result in a "10-95" . Registration Expired, no insurance, and 10-55 for example....

Nothing signifigantly different for Calvert than what you have for St. Mary's. Thanks again for doing this!

-- Don

 

[dgates80]

Can you explain what they are referring to when they say "Rescue BOX" or "Medical BOX" followed by a number. I *think* 'box' refers to a general map grid or?

Also I often hear "second call for the medic, no medic available" -- does this mean that the ambulance just shows up, loads, and goes? I assume basic first aid would be given.... but anything beyond that it waits until arrival at an ER, eh?

 

[G1G4]

Yes, I actually meant to do that. Thanks for reminding me!

 

[Cletus_Vandam]

You forgot the most important one of all.

DFO [or DFO'd] - Dun Fell Out.

I actually heard someone in SMC use this once when transporting.

Also, BAMA-lance = Ambulance. Another SMC special.

 

[StadEMS3]

Here's some more for you.

EMS Transport codes-

Piority 1 Blue- CPR in progress (lights & sirens)
Piority 1- life treatening emergency (lights & sirens)
Priority II- emergency, non life threatening (lights & sirens)
Pririty III- non-emergency transport (taxi ride, no lights & sirens)
Priority 4- dead on arrival (no transport)

 

[StadEMS3]

Also I often hear "second call for the medic, no medic available" -- does this mean that the ambulance just shows up, loads, and goes? I assume basic first aid would be given.... but anything beyond that it waits until arrival at an ER, eh?

At time of dispatch, you have 3-5 minutes to mark up on the air. Dispatch will "challenge" the call and then dispatch the second due ambulance or medic unit. If there is no medic avail, then the BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulance will have to handle the call without ALS (Advanced Life Support) support.

 

[G1G4]

I can't update the post, because apparently the text is too long -- lol.

StadEMS3, does Charles use the color codes for any/every call? Also, are you guys going to transfer over to the Alpha/Omega code tree (such as PG has)? There have been rumblings that St. Mary's is going to it very soon.

 

[StadEMS3]

I can't update the post, because apparently the text is too long -- lol.

StadEMS3, does Charles use the color codes for any/every call? Also, are you guys going to transfer over to the Alpha/Omega code tree (such as PG has)? There have been rumblings that St. Mary's is going to it very soon.

We currently only use "Blue" for the CPR in progress transport. I havent heard anything about alpha/omega code tree. MD also has Priority codes for patient fly-outs. I'll post them later, at work now

 

[G1G4]

That's something else I need to post too, the trauma tree code. Whenever the character limit thing gets removed, I'll get back to it. Got alot to add.

 

[Boilermaker]

Can you explain what they are referring to when they say "Rescue BOX" or "Medical BOX" followed by a number. I *think* 'box' refers to a general map grid or?
QUOTE]

A rescue box is usually an auto accident, but applies to any situation where a person needs to be rescued except for a fire. A medical box is simply an ambulance call.


Each county is divided up into "first due" areas which determine which station is the closest. Those first due's are further divided into box areas. Which units respond depends on the box area and the call type. The first number of the box indicates which station is first due.

 

[Boilermaker]

Quote:
Originally Posted by dgates80
Also I often hear "second call for the medic, no medic available" -- does this mean that the ambulance just shows up, loads, and goes? I assume basic first aid would be given.... but anything beyond that it waits until arrival at an ER, eh?

At time of dispatch, you have 3-5 minutes to mark up on the air. Dispatch will "challenge" the call and then dispatch the second due ambulance or medic unit. If there is no medic avail, then the BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulance will have to handle the call without ALS (Advanced Life Support) support.At time of dispatch, you have 3-5 minutes to mark up on the air. Dispatch will "challenge" the call and then dispatch the second due ambulance or medic unit. If there is no medic avail, then the BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulance will have to handle the call without ALS (Advanced Life Support) support.

A second call for any unit indicates that station already has a call for that type of unit that it hasn't completed yet. No unit available means just that. In the case of no medic unit available, the ambulance will transport with an EMT-B as opposed to meeting a paramedic in the chase vehicle, unless a medic becomes available.

 

[dgates80]

A rescue box is usually an auto accident, but applies to any situation where a person needs to be rescued except for a fire. A medical box is simply an ambulance call.


Each county is divided up into "first due" areas which determine which station is the closest. Those first due's are further divided into box areas. Which units respond depends on the box area and the call type. The first number of the box indicates which station is first due.

Ubderstood, I was mostly askig about the "BOX" part, the type of call, i.e., rescue, hazmat. medical, etc. is fairly intuitive.

Can anybody give a link to, or perhaps scan a copy of, the BOX map for Calvert, St. Mary's, and Charles counties?

 

[G1G4]

Ubderstood, I was mostly askig about the "BOX" part, the type of call, i.e., rescue, hazmat. medical, etc. is fairly intuitive.

Can anybody give a link to, or perhaps scan a copy of, the BOX map for Calvert, St. Mary's, and Charles counties?

I think that'd be pretty hard to do. The term 'box' refers to a map with gridlines. Within the gridlines are specific areas that are to be associated with that area, usually going from the north of the first due area to the south -- going in numerical order. The box, in my eyes, is only useful for looking to see where your going.

 

[dgates80]

I think that'd be pretty hard to do. The term 'box' refers to a map with gridlines. Within the gridlines are specific areas that are to be associated with that area, usually going from the north of the first due area to the south -- going in numerical order. The box, in my eyes, is only useful for looking to see where your going.

Well, exactly. When listening to the scanner, with a box map I'd be able to tell the general area a call was referencing. Though it's true the address is typically also given, but sometimes the street or road isn't familiar to me, especially up in northern Calvert.

 

[G1G4]

I hear ya.. the easiest thing to do at that point is Google Maps, lol.