We just got rid of Ten Codes

[HotelCo]

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 .

You may not communicate with other agency's on a day-to-day basis, but if an MCI were to come along in your area and you need help, they wouldn't understand what you were saying. Maybe their 10-5 is evacuate, who knows? See where the confusion could come in? I'm glad your agency has chosen to do away with the 10 codes. It shows that your agency is (finally) making progress.

 

[LucidResq]

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.

This is the only thing I appreciate codes for on SAR. We almost always have family on base, and occasionally we have family/friends out in the field with us (which is a whole other issue that I disagree with, but it happens sometimes nonetheless). We use code 4, which can be confusing to law enforcement considering what their 10-4 generally means. I know a few teams who at briefing determine a code in case the person is found dead. Often, it is a male name being with "F"; ie: "Code Frank"

 

[JonTullos]

The rationale that 10-codes clear frequencies quicker is just plain stupid. Is it really that much of a difference to say "arrival at Rush ER" rather than "10-23 Rush ER?" Also, the rationale that it keeps our communications "secret" is also dumb. It took me all of an hour to figure out all the 10-codes that my county STILL uses (it's Mississippi... don't hold it against me). I'm all for using a code to let others know that someone is in trouble but plain English for everything else please. I cringe when I hear someone come over the radio and say "I'm 10-8, 10-17 to the 10-20 of that 10-50." (translation: "I'm in service and en route to the location of the MVA.)

 

[mycrofft]

Dump the tens.

Fred Barney and I were proficient but we were dropping it from USAF as early as 1979.

Still, there's just something so satisfying about "Ten-eight, ten-nineteen".

PS: Want to start a fight? Tell someone that a "Code Two" response is not valid or legal.

 

[smurfe]

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 ?

I live and work down the road from you for EBREMS. We dropped the 10 codes a couple years ago if I remember correctly. It wasn't that hard. I didn't use them much anyway. We still use 10-4 but thats it.

I am not originally from this area. When I moved here many of the 10 codes were different. For example: Here 10-97 was On Scene. Where I came from 10-23 was on scene. Here 10-50 was Negative. Where I came from 10-50 was an auto accident.

Do you work for Acadian? I used to work for them. I do believe that we can communicate with them during an MCI as we have compatible radio systems now.

 

[Momof7]

10 codes

My husband use to work as a 911 dispatcher. They tried getting rid of 10 codes 15 years ago. It did not last long before going back to using them. It was so confusing to those on the radio. For someone in EMS, there are only a handful you would have to know. It is so much simpler to use 10 codes.

 

[JonTullos]

My husband use to work as a 911 dispatcher. They tried getting rid of 10 codes 15 years ago. It did not last long before going back to using them. It was so confusing to those on the radio. For someone in EMS, there are only a handful you would have to know. It is so much simpler to use 10 codes.

What's so complicated about using plain English? I don't understand your argument. I would think having to memorize and use a bunch of (mostly) asinine codes would be more complicated.

I won't use codes on the air unless I am told specifically that I must due to protocols... but I would be very surprised if that were the case.

 

[TransportJockey]

The only codes that the metro services here use are Clawson codes. Not a fan, mainly because I'm still having trouble during internship knowing what we're going to when

 

[Momof7]

10 codes

What's so complicated about using plain English? I don't understand your argument. I would think having to memorize and use a bunch of (mostly) asinine codes would be more complicated.

I won't use codes on the air unless I am told specifically that I must due to protocols... but I would be very surprised if that were the case.

Yeah I get your point, but he was talking to law enforcement most of the time. I am with you, I hate 10 codes too I don't have a clue what they are and have no intention on learning them.

 

[PapaBear434]

Yeah I get your point, but he was talking to law enforcement most of the time. I am with you, I hate 10 codes too I don't have a clue what they are and have no intention on learning them.

As I said somewhere before, when I was in the police department in 2001, we had 10 codes. They were annoying, pointless, and took up otherwise useful space in my brain that could be used remembering important things, like where the closest sandwich shop is.

Plain English is the way to go. People can crack the 10 codes by using Google, so the "privacy" angle doesn't work. Efficiency is a joke, as memorizing a bunch of codes to say "10-7 mechanical" when you can just as easily say "going unavailable, mechanical." And tradition is just even more moronic, as things always change and become more efficient.

There is just no good use for them anymore. Especially since they were never really officially standardized, and a lot of different departments had different codes. If you have to have civilian efforts to help, like in major disasters, again it makes more sense to have plain English.

 

[JAM-EMT]

I work for the company lafmedic is referring to and I have to say ten codes and signal codes were an easy way to communicate, especially when they drill it into your mind when you are hired. Its hard to change your ways suddenly, and the amount of traffic on the radio is becoming a problem.

 

[PapaBear434]

I work for the company lafmedic is referring to and I have to say ten codes and signal codes were an easy way to communicate, especially when they drill it into your mind when you are hired. Its hard to change your ways suddenly, and the amount of traffic on the radio is becoming a problem.

Switching to plain English is confusing? And my department using plain language, and radio traffic isn't a problem. People know to keep it short and sweet, and to utilize the messaging abilities of our computers to send little personal or extended messages to dispatch or each other.

 

[Afflixion]

I work for the company lafmedic is referring to and I have to say ten codes and signal codes were an easy way to communicate, especially when they drill it into your mind when you are hired. Its hard to change your ways suddenly, and the amount of traffic on the radio is becoming a problem.

If 10 codes were so much easier and cleared traffic so much more don't you think the other EMS services and the military would still be using them? Our sheriff's net has about 200-300 vehicles broadcasting and yes at times it does get overwhelming but 90% of the time it works just fine. The point is to be clear and concise, also there is no need to use pleasantries on the net it's a given. The rest of the civilized world's EMS has stopped using 10 codes years ago, so why is it such a problem? Y'all never do mutual aid or anything of the sort?