FEMA says get rid of 10-Codes

[tbendick 27]

Well as we have all been hearing FEMA/DHS has started to mandate things. If you don't follow then you don't get any money from grants. One Example would be NYC going to the NIMS or as they call it CIMS.

So here come the next step. No more 10-Codes. One side I like the idea, but on the other I love hearing 10-75 the box.

Now talking to some people, I know they could care less and don't want to give up 10-codes. However I have had first hand experiance with problems from 10-Codes.

August 2003 blackout, NYC called out for EMS mutal Aide and was sent many units from all over, NJ, LI, Westchester, etc. I met with every Mutal Aide ambulance they came into the city that day. Myself and an EMS Captain setup a staging area and then directed them to deploy to parts of the city. They were issued a radio set to the correct channel, NYC Map, Unit number and Cross Street locations. As well as quick rundown of Hospitals.

When they started going into service, they looked just like any other unit on the CADS and some dispatchers didn't know they were M/A units. So as the night went on and the 10-codes were flying around the air, It made of a mess. "61D are 63?" "61D to dispatch what does that mean?" "61E reported 10-83" "What?"

So as you can see 10-codes can be hard to work with.

_______________________________________________________________

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- In Virginia police-speak, a 10-50 means a motor vehicle accident. But head to Montgomery County, Md., and 10-50 becomes ''officer in trouble.''

Now the Federal Emergency Management Agency is recommending police and other emergency officials nationwide give up the varying numerical codes used to communicate quickly with each other, saying the shorthand can lead to confusion when different agencies respond to a disaster.

In Virginia, the shift has met with both mild resistance and complacency.

FEMA issued a directive in May involving an array of new training and procedures with which police departments across the country will have to comply.

Part of the National Incident Management System directive involves phasing out the 10-codes -- or ''brevity codes''-- and replacing them with phrases like ''I'm at an accident scene'' and other standard language.

''It comes down to common terminology, plain language, plain English that everyone can understand,'' said Don Jacks, FEMA spokesman. ''It's the language that we use. If there's a bank robbery, we want the police to say, 'There's a bank robbery at First and Main' instead of, 'There's a 10-50'.''

FEMA hopes this will create a system by which all police and emergency personnel can understand each other and reduce confusion in emergency situations involving multiple jurisdictions.

But Virginia State Police use codes, and will continue to do so until they get official word from FEMA to stop, said spokeswoman Corrine Geller.

''We've not received any directive or any kind of documentation from FEMA concerning the phase-out of the brevity codes,'' Geller said. ''The superintendent is aware of these recommendations (but) we'll continue to use them until we're notified by FEMA.''

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management uses plain English anyway, and isn't really affected, said spokesman Bob Spieldenner.

Gov. Mark R.Warner has signed off on the FEMA requirements, promising the state will comply with the national standards.

Jacks said FEMA recognizes changes won't come overnight, but that the agency wants police departments to at least make an effort.

''We want them to be working toward becoming compliant and becoming compliant is using common terminology, common language,'' Jacks said. ''We know they won't be eliminated by October 2006. But our goal is good-faith efforts to be able to change the way first responders communicate.''

Jacks said local police departments will not necessarily lose federal money by failing to comply with the new regulations.

But when applying for grants next year, departments will have to note whether they're phasing out the codes.

Those which are could have a leg up in the grant race, he said.

[dadbo46 50]

This is a good thing.

NIMS creates creates an emergency management structure that all can use. It is logical then that we all need to speak the same language. Plain English does that...no more misunderstandings, no more miscommunications....JUST PLAIN ENGLISH.

BTW - 10-75 = Working Fire

[Remember585 815]

Woo-hoo!

Now we can understand one another without looking at a piece of paper to translate!!!

[grumpyff 1,159]

This could be good or bad.. for example if you an NYPD officer on the radio with"show me with one under", it means they have an arrest. The same thing in the Transit means a train has run someone over. I say keep the 10 codes for everyday normal use, and like CIMS/NIMS states use plain english during periods of interagency operations.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Why mix and match? Plain english works everywhere else, making operations much smoother across agency lines. If having one under means an arrest, train personnel not to use it for someone under a train car and request the proper resources for such.

Read the 9/11 commission report if you haven't and note how they explain why the pentagon incident on a ICS level went a bit better then WTC. Knowledge and proper use of NIMS by all agencies.

[Pudge3311 5]

Have to agree with Grumpy, keep 10 codes for everyday use and use plain english at your major incidents.

[Guest]

I agree with ALS, theres definitely no need to mix and match. Obviously Plain English is easier to use, you can't screw up like you can when your using 10 codes. Think about it, ENGINE 119 responding, clear text. Even though I love the 10-75, if your going to use Plain English use it all the time.

[tbendick 27]

Have to agree with Grumpy, keep 10 codes for everyday use and use plain english at your major incidents.

The only problem with this, is that you get customed to doing something everyday, it will stick. Just one example I can think of is with FDNY EMS and NYPD. Some units have a bad habbit of dropping part of the unit ID. Such as 50 Pct "Ida" Instead of saying 50Ida a lot of them would say O-Ida. Just like EMS units such as 16V saying 6Victor. One day 16V came up on citywide asking for help and said 6V, well 6V is in lower manhattan not harlem.

So to say for units like these. I will use the full name when I need to or I will stop using 10-codes when I need to won't be easy.

If Dept's decide to follow with this, I would say it would have to be all or none. With maybe some codes for key things.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Just to chime in again. I don't get what the major ordeal is. Use one for everyday and the other for major incidents. Every incident has the potential to be major. Yes I do understand what you mean by major incident, however, KISS. Its not the difficult to just go to plain text for the fire service. Who gives a rats @ss what PD uses, I don't operate on their frequency, nor do they mine. They can do whatever they want, with whatever lingo. The bottom line is we all need to be on the same page, same terminology, same delivery.

You have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Tradition is good for 2 things, reminding you of where you are and stopping you from getting where you need to be.

[Guest]

LOSE THE 10 CODES Thats a big 10-4 !!!!!

As for the 10-75 the box. GET OVER IT. that is nothing more than buff talk.

We had working fires for hundreds of years in this county, and none were 10-75.

Everybody needs to be on the same page.

[JBE 328]

10-codes have their place. For the major incidents, I agree with the idea of clear text, especially with the interagency operations. As for M/A, if you are going to another municipality/frequency, use clear text. I'm sure the dispatcher will get the idea.

A solution to this whole 10-codes mess could have been solved years ago. STANDARDIZE THEM!!!!

Standard PD Codes nationwide, Standard Fire Codes, EMS codes, you get the idea. Get everybody on the same page. I happen to like the 10-codes, especially since I use them every day. If that makes me a dinosaur, so be it. I agree that people using 10-75 where it's not a standard code is BS. Either use the proper code, or proper clear text, or get the hell off the radio. Kinda like how certain dispatchers at P-911 back in the 40 Control days used to get bent outta shape anytime I said, "K".