Training – Use of plain
language in Emergency Communications
Well, don’t we do this anyway on
the Amateur bands, you ask? In some
ways we do, but there is more we can do.
The problem is more apparent in Law Enforcement, Fire, Emergency Medical
Services (public safety services).
National disaster response plans are mandating the use of plain language
in place of 10 signals, codes and acronyms and for good reason.
- What are the benefits for using
plain language? To be
honest, the use of ten signals, codes, etc. have saved a lot of air time
and so their use has some value on the local level. But what the National plans are getting
at here is that the meaning of “ten-codes,” for example, does not always
mean the same thing in every jurisdiction. They are not consistent across the country, so what 10-8
means here, in fact, means something different in another
jurisdiction. This presents no
problem until people from different jurisdictions start working together
on the same disaster relief effort and are talking on the same
channel. Then plain English is not
only to be used, but is mandated. You can readily see that it is critical
for the team’s safety when workers from different parts of the country and
services need to communicate clearly.
So instead of using a “ten-signal,” for example, you simply say in
plain language what the code means or stands for.
- Plain Language in the Amateur Radio
Service? Yes, we do use some on-air codes and acronyms to say
something in fewer words and save air time. Could we run nets with plain language? Probably! I think most of the time we do. Most common are the “Q signals” such as QTH, QSY, QRT,
etc. We give net reports to our
Net Managers using QNI for number of check-ins, and QTC for the number of
pieces of traffic handled on the net.
In looking over the Net preambles we currently use, the only
acronyms I found were “ARES” and “SWIARC.” All the rest is in plain language. Other examples of acronyms would be “EOC”, “EMA”, “EMS”,
etc., may be used if you are handling communications for the Emergency
Operations Center. Red Cross and
other organizations have their jargon and acronyms as well.
- Using Tactical Call signs: In keeping with plain language, the use
of tactical call signs also helps keep communications more understandable
and clear rather than using other types of designators such as call signs,
etc. (See Tactical Call Sign training item posted on this website)
- Use of Phonetics: Even
this is not universal but is not necessarily a big problem. Law Enforcement uses one set of
phonetics based mostly on first names, e.g.N=Nora, O for Ocean, W for
William, T for Tom, etc. Amateur
Radio operators are encouraged to use the ITU set of phonetics (see ITU
phonetics training piece posted on this website). It seems to me that this is widely used
on the Amateur bands already.
Occasionally you hear someone use another word for a phonetic, and
it is usually readily understood.
I recommend that you practice and use the ITU set of phonetics in
emergency communications. It is
widely accepted and used by many services.
By Terry Lindsley, KSØL (2/2006)