Common Language

With everyone having NIMS (IS-700) training, I ask you this; is your system following the communications portion? The purpose of NIMS is that no matter where you go you should be able to follow the chain of command and communicate with everyone. I haven't seen this happening all the time. One of the biggest complaints I receive is the bleed over of law enforcement ten codes into fire and EMS calls. There are many articles citing how confusing mutual aid calls have been when agencies don't use the same codes and meanings. We need to get ourselves use to using plain language when talking on the radio. Us as dispatchers have to do our part also. It's very hard in a combination center doing police, fire and EMS dispatching to get out of that habit after years of using ten codes. It even goes further with fire departments requesting mutual aid. What do you consider a tanker or a tender? If you're on the scene of a grass fire and request a tanker, you're more than likely going to get an airplane dropping water on you. Many rural departments use water tanker and water tender as the same vehicle. There are many aspects of our everyday language that we need to look at more closely. Again training and open discussions on radio procedures will help us get one step closer to interoperability.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me!

Geoff Galaski
GalaskiG@co.st-louis.mn.us