VI. Communications
Basic Rules
- When you are speaking over the radio system, never use any names.
- To contact members of the crew, identify them by their functions (r.g., Med 1, BC-1, etc.).
- Occasionally, a member of the board of directors has a radio but is not on shift. To contact this person, use his or her number, such as BC-50. All board members and their numbers can be found on the dispatcher's desk.
- To reach anyone else over the radio, use his or her initials. For example, if a crew chief on a call asked you (the dispatcher) if there was an attendant in the office, you could reply: "Affirmative, RC is in quarters."
- If a crewmember asks a yes or no question, answer "affirmative" or "negative." This ensures that short, monosyllabic words will not be lost through the transmission.
- Numbers should be pronounced as singular syllables. For example, instead of contacting the administrator by saying "Bee Cee Fifty" say "Bee Cee Five Zero."
Talking to the Crew
How to Talk on the Radio
To speak to a member of the crew:
- Identify yourself as "Med-base."
- Address the message to whichever function you are trying to reach (e.g., Med-1, BC Unit 2, etc.).
- Wait for the crewmember to respond by repeating their function and saying, "Go ahead."
- State your message.
Example:
Disp: "Med-base to Med-l."
Med-l: "Med-l, go ahead."
Disp: "Please landline."
10-codes
10-codes must be used by all members during radio transmissions. If a crewmember uses a 10-code, the dispatcher must:
- Acknowledge the code with: "10-4."
- Repeat the 10-code (and any accompanying message).
- State the time.
Example:
Med- 1: "Med- 1 to Med-base."
Disp: "Med-base, go ahead."
Med-l: "I'm 10-27 to Ocean Avenue and Avenue M for gas "
Disp: "10-4. You're 10-27 to Ocean Avenue and Avenue M for gas at 13:45."
Make sure that you know your 10-codes. You absolutely must know all the ones that are highlighted in the appendix of this manual.
Quick Call
Quick call allows the portable radio to be used as a pager. If a crewmember is in class during his or her shift, the dispatcher can contact him or her without disturbing the other students. Obviously, if the member is in class, do not contact him or her unless it is an emergency. When quick call is used, only one member will be reached (regardless if other members are also on quick call). To reach someone using quick call (when you want to just give a beep, not a message):
- Punch in "0" followed by the radio number of the person you are trying to call.
- Press "F4" (Tone).
Using this method, you must wait for the member to contact you so that you can give him or her your message. To use quick call and give a message at the same time:
- Punch in the radio number.
- Press"F3."
- Wait for the tone to end and for "speak now" to appear. You have 10 seconds to speak.
- Make sure that your message has been received and acknowledged by the member.
- If you finish your message before the time allotted, press "F3" to shorten the countdown. If you need more than 10 seconds, press and hold "F3" until the message is complete.
Group Call
Group call allows you to activate all the portable radios in use (not just one person, like quick call). To use this:
- Punch in "011."
- Press "F1."
- When you see "Speak Now," you have 10 seconds to give your message. If you finish your message before the time allotted, press "F3" to shorten the countdown. If you need more than 10 seconds, press and hold "F3" until the message is complete.
