As of yesterday to ease the transmission to NIMS ICS and make communications "easier" we got rid of 10 codes. I find it is going to cause a massive head ache. Instead of saying we are code 3 or in our case "10-15" we have to say We are en route lights and sirens . Anyone else out there had their service drop 10 codes ?
We just got rid of Ten Codes
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HotelCo
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It's about time you dropped them. They're outdated and only serve to confuse people when you're in an MCI.
Ridryder911
EMS Guru
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I agree with exodus. A national standard of 10 codes would be much better but I see that there would be a million of them and many problems adjusting. That being said we are not using 10 codes at ALL. MCI or not. Day to day operations are now in plain speak. It jams up our radio as we work in a very busy area. I guess if you have a 5 unit company and dont run that many calls . We average 10 calls per unit with around 20 trucks on one freq. Not to mention status changes going on and directions/info going over the radio. Just looking to see what others are doing.
JPINFV
Gadfly
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My old company got rid of 10 codes a few years ago when I was there. The only accecptable 10 code was 10-33 (unit in trouble), but we also kept code 1, code 2, and code 3 (our ER entry notes were done through dispatch and code 1 was simply telling dispatch that we had a note for them). We normally had somewhere around 15-20 units on a dispatch channel (during the weekdays we were split up between "North" and "South." Nights and weekends had one dispatcher), and we didn't really have that much trouble. "On scene," for example, is a syllabul less than "10-97." Give it a few weeks until everyone is used to using plain speak before rating it.
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I think you'll find that it's actually that much more to say your actual status. For example, we had:
1. "Clear, responding" - Responding to a call
2. "On scene"
3. "En route to x"
4. "Arrival"
5. "Copy" (instead of 10/4)
Everyone, including the police agencies we served, knew exactly what we were saying.
1. "Clear, responding" - Responding to a call
2. "On scene"
3. "En route to x"
4. "Arrival"
5. "Copy" (instead of 10/4)
Everyone, including the police agencies we served, knew exactly what we were saying.
I've worked in major metro areas with 50+ units on the same frequency and use common plain 'ol english. It made things a lot easier than the antiquinated 10 codes that should have gone away when Johnny and Roy left the air.......................
HotelCo
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LucidResq
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Good riddance.
I've wanted to put a bullet through my head since starting at the amusement park thanks to their completely back-asswards use of radio comms. Not only are the standards back-asswards, but most of the employees besides first aid and security have absolutely no clue how to use a radio.
They use "you and then who," which I know some EMS/PD/Fire agencies still use, but it drives me nuts.
10 codes are their favorite thing in the entire world. All day all I hear is 10-4 this 10-4 that, whats your 20? I'm 10-6, can you 10-21 internal... Sorry, 10-9?
However the most obnoxious thing to me is our codes for race... it's ocean for "oriental" (that's how it's listed on the cheat sheet... which I think is ridiculous... it's asian), bravo for black, henry for hispanic, and charlie for caucasian. So a call for a lost child will go out over the radio like this: "All units please stand by for the following Code 12... a 2 year old henry female...."
Wait what?
I've wanted to put a bullet through my head since starting at the amusement park thanks to their completely back-asswards use of radio comms. Not only are the standards back-asswards, but most of the employees besides first aid and security have absolutely no clue how to use a radio.
They use "you and then who," which I know some EMS/PD/Fire agencies still use, but it drives me nuts.
10 codes are their favorite thing in the entire world. All day all I hear is 10-4 this 10-4 that, whats your 20? I'm 10-6, can you 10-21 internal... Sorry, 10-9?
However the most obnoxious thing to me is our codes for race... it's ocean for "oriental" (that's how it's listed on the cheat sheet... which I think is ridiculous... it's asian), bravo for black, henry for hispanic, and charlie for caucasian. So a call for a lost child will go out over the radio like this: "All units please stand by for the following Code 12... a 2 year old henry female...."
Wait what?
Afflixion
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Lol sounds like a pathetic attempt at the military phonetic alphabet. I have never used 10 code and hoping I never have to. The air force still uses the 10 code which is annoying over comms when every other branch is using proper radio etiquette and you get the air force with their 10-blah blah. I don't see the point of using a code for race just say "2 year old Hispanic female." is it that hard?
redcrossemt
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My last service used 10 codes extensively. I had brought it up to management on several occasions, but they thought it would take too much air time for us to speak the traffic in normal english.
My current service does not use 10 codes at all. We are "enroute", "out/on-scene", "arrival destination", "complete at", "etc."
We are still required to use the priority codes 1-4, at least in our documentation, but they don't match neighboring counties, or even our Med-Com center... Sometimes it can get real confusing. For example, if I call an ALS report in to a hospital it has to be priority 1 (emergent) or priority 2 (emergent or not). However, our driver has to notify dispatch of our priority code... which can only be P1 if we're driving emergency.
I would much prefer if we could just say "emergent advanced" or "non-emergent basic" or whatever the case may be.
My current service does not use 10 codes at all. We are "enroute", "out/on-scene", "arrival destination", "complete at", "etc."
We are still required to use the priority codes 1-4, at least in our documentation, but they don't match neighboring counties, or even our Med-Com center... Sometimes it can get real confusing. For example, if I call an ALS report in to a hospital it has to be priority 1 (emergent) or priority 2 (emergent or not). However, our driver has to notify dispatch of our priority code... which can only be P1 if we're driving emergency.
I would much prefer if we could just say "emergent advanced" or "non-emergent basic" or whatever the case may be.
Mountain Res-Q
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It seems to me that codes are used for three reason now-a-days (excluding the stupid reasoning that it shortens transmission time):
1. It has been around for so long that it just won't go away.
2. It makes you sound "important" and somehow more official.
3. In some casses the codes are used to prevent others nearby (not on a scanner, people who know the code) from hearing what you are really saying.
IMHO, that last reason is the only valid one in some cases. In my area, Fire and Ambo only use 10-codes for that last reason (such as 11-44 - Coroners Case), and in some cases for that first reason (such as 10-4). Everythinbg else is plain talk: "responding" (not 10-49), "on scene" (not 10-97), contact Captain _____ on his cell" (not 10-21 Captain _____ on his cell - honestly how is that shorter?). The only folks that tend to still use 10-codes are LEOs, and even they only use about 20 popular ones (everything else becomes plain talk), and some of the local businesses that have Security or EMT staff (they love to sound official). In SAR, since we are part of the Sheriff's Office, I try to use the same popular 10-codes on the radio, since it is the language that Dispatch speaks and we all use some of the codes for confidentuality (such as 11-44 and a few others), but largely no one on SAR makes this effort, and our communications sound like a bunch of five year olds that found a walkie talkie and want to place cops and robbers. At the Snow Park, the EMT staff will use some 10 codes only because we have limit radio channels (and need to keep it brief) and becasue we are trying to maintain confidentuality when it comes to a staff who believes that they have some right to know what is going on just becasue they work there too. In same rare cases, some codes language makes sense... otherwise it is a waste of time to use and learn... I am an EMT, not a comando fighting in the jungles...
On the other hand... 10-codes and 11-codes might be a pain in the butt, but other codes (like code 3 L&S and penal/health & safety codes) are here to stay in CA... i.e 5150: psych...
1. It has been around for so long that it just won't go away.
2. It makes you sound "important" and somehow more official.
3. In some casses the codes are used to prevent others nearby (not on a scanner, people who know the code) from hearing what you are really saying.
IMHO, that last reason is the only valid one in some cases. In my area, Fire and Ambo only use 10-codes for that last reason (such as 11-44 - Coroners Case), and in some cases for that first reason (such as 10-4). Everythinbg else is plain talk: "responding" (not 10-49), "on scene" (not 10-97), contact Captain _____ on his cell" (not 10-21 Captain _____ on his cell - honestly how is that shorter?). The only folks that tend to still use 10-codes are LEOs, and even they only use about 20 popular ones (everything else becomes plain talk), and some of the local businesses that have Security or EMT staff (they love to sound official). In SAR, since we are part of the Sheriff's Office, I try to use the same popular 10-codes on the radio, since it is the language that Dispatch speaks and we all use some of the codes for confidentuality (such as 11-44 and a few others), but largely no one on SAR makes this effort, and our communications sound like a bunch of five year olds that found a walkie talkie and want to place cops and robbers. At the Snow Park, the EMT staff will use some 10 codes only because we have limit radio channels (and need to keep it brief) and becasue we are trying to maintain confidentuality when it comes to a staff who believes that they have some right to know what is going on just becasue they work there too. In same rare cases, some codes language makes sense... otherwise it is a waste of time to use and learn... I am an EMT, not a comando fighting in the jungles...
On the other hand... 10-codes and 11-codes might be a pain in the butt, but other codes (like code 3 L&S and penal/health & safety codes) are here to stay in CA... i.e 5150: psych...
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medic417
The Truth Provider
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Everyone with a scanner quickly learns the codes so does no good.
5150 refers to a specific section in California's Welfare laws just like the Baker Act refers to a specific section in the Florida Statutes. It is not just a "communication" code. These are not going to change unless the legislation changes.
Mountain Res-Q
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Scanner junkies... yes that is true. I ma referring to family and bystanders. For instance: If we are on a search for someone and we locate a body... we are not gonna go over the radio (or shouldn't ^_^) and say, "Hey Billy Bob, we found us a rotting corpse... better get the coroner out her to scoop him up." Obvioulsy that is an exageration, but even a simple and subdued, "We found a body" isn't professional not considerate of any family/friends that might be hanging around the ICP or an official that has a radio turned on. If you have 50 people working a call like that, then anyone within ear short of one of those people have the potential to hear what is said over the radio. We try to teach the folks to use, "Summit IC, Team Two... Confirmed 11-44... clear to copy coordinates?" One of the few reasons I agree with a reginal limited code system.
True... that is my point. Code systems include: 10-codes, 11-codes, Plain Codes (like Code 1, 2, 3, 4,33, etc...), penal codes, and health and safety codes. Some codes are hear to stay, but 10 and 11 codes can go away... for the most part. A simple 20 code system such as code 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 for cetain communications is fine by me (see above)... and the legal codes, which are here to stay.
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WuLabsWuTecH
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We have very few codes and signals still. When we are on the Fire and Police combined response channel, sometimes they use their 10 codes and confuse the crap out of us.
We just have a few codes to make complicated things shorter or if we don't want others to know what's going on.
Code 1 is DOA
10-3 (the only 10 code we use as it's the same for the police). It confirms an emergency banner (oh S*** button) and makes everyone drop everything around the area to help a officer, EMT, firefighter in distress.
Then a few codes just to simplyfy the saying of some longer things.
Signal "O" - meaning, the last truck is leaving the scene and we have turned over legal control of the property back to the keyholder or other agency.
There are a few other signals (like 2 or 3 more?) but other than that plain language is the way to go.
We just have a few codes to make complicated things shorter or if we don't want others to know what's going on.
Code 1 is DOA
10-3 (the only 10 code we use as it's the same for the police). It confirms an emergency banner (oh S*** button) and makes everyone drop everything around the area to help a officer, EMT, firefighter in distress.
Then a few codes just to simplyfy the saying of some longer things.
Signal "O" - meaning, the last truck is leaving the scene and we have turned over legal control of the property back to the keyholder or other agency.
There are a few other signals (like 2 or 3 more?) but other than that plain language is the way to go.
We didnt have that many codes to begin with. We do NOT communicate with any other agency so it worked fine. We kinda mixed it we would say on scene if it was the case but in the advent of going no lights and sirens we are required to say "unit # we are departing scene non emegency x 1 patient to General ."Instead of unit # 10-5 x 1 general. I like that both views are being stated here and I guess maybe we will get better at shortening the messages. I will give it a few weeks but its already driving me crazy with the excess traffic . I just feel it was fine the way it was .
ResTech
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10-codes... I remember having to learn them and use em as a police dispatcher many years ago.... Plain English is better as it allows clear communication with no room for error especially in mutual aid situations where mutual aid may have different 10-codes or none at all.
I didnt think ne one was still using 10-Codes!
I didnt think ne one was still using 10-Codes!