*** Radio Identifier Convention ***

Message: 1
   Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 09:56:28 -0700
   From: mcockrell@co.san-joaquin.ca.us
Subject: Re: Digest Number 89

Geo Name:

If the incident was named for the missing person, it is difficult to know if
your in the area of the search and should be careful for searchers, or
clues. A 'geo' name gives a mental picture of the location.

An example was a SAR we had for a skydiver missing during his jump. We named
it after the airport they jumped over "Linds Incident" (Linds airport)
rather than the "Jack Incident" (person missing). It was very clear to all
local responders were the center of activity was occuring, plus where the CP
was. If they were not part of the SAR, they would know something is occuring
in that area.

If there were two SAR's occuring, the IC, Air Ops, etc. would be easy to
seperate 'geo-wise' if your in the search area;
"Linds Air Tactical" & "Lodi Air Tactical" -vs- "Jack Air
Tactical" & "Jill Air Tactical", "Lodi Staging" -vs- "Jack Staging"

Resource Naming:

If only locally based units respond to your SAR, then 'in-house' designators
are fine. But even within jurisdictions it is hard to learn 'in-house' terms
if resources come from different departments. Our Sheriff uses 803 series
for supervisors, unit  numbers depend on time of day and how many units on
duty, Sam # for sarg., 100 # for detectives, etc. I deal with all responder
agencies so not 'up' on latest numbers for each jurisdiction and departments
within.

When I go to a SAR, I forget that 802 is the IC now, and 804 is replacing at
noon. 812 will replace at midnight. 112 (k-9) is searching segment 1, 118 is
over in segment 3, 333 (mounted) and 355 are in same segments. 3-Adam-11 is
Lind Staging Area Manager, 2-King-6 is a K-9 patrol unit.

Just think if we bring in other jurisdictions or agencies to help, such as
CAP, or CCC. We also use fire, law, medical, public works personnel. They
would have to quickly learn number system, AND, be briefed on the SAR
incident. Putting these 'outside' resouces into an incident were they
interact with the 'local numbered' units could cause safety or search
failure.

The standard SAR, ICS, generic terms:
            Mounted 1, 2, 3, etc.
            K-9 3, 4 10, etc.
            Dive 2, 3, 1, etc.

seemed easy to adapt to than 100, 300, 400, Adams, Davids, series numbering.

If there were several incidents going on and using the same frequencies,
then we just add incident name;

"Linds Mounted 2 go to segment #3 and meet Linds Ops Chief"
instead of "350 go to segment #3 and meet 102"

Hope this explains our process. We are still in the infant stage of SAR. We
really didn't 'get organized' until the last year. So we adapt other SAR
agency ideas. Our view is 'what is the easiest for multi-agency,
multi-discipline personnel to understand, under an ICS & basic SAR umbrella.

Michael Cockrell
Assistant Coordinator of Emergency Services


----------
From: richwill@aol.com
To: csar@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [CSAR] Digest Number 89
Date: Wed, Jun 7, 2000, 4:33


I agree with your line of thinking here, but you did not say how you make it
understandable to all the various players. Please give us some details as to
how you accomplish this.

Richard Williams


In a message dated 6/3/00 5:38:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time, csar@egroups.com
writes:

>    Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 08:55:57 -0700
>     From: mcockrell@co.san-joaquin.ca.us
>  Subject: Re: Radio identifier Question
>
>  The geo name is best because if there are two searches going on, then you
>  can get a better feeling of the activity area.
>
>  As for the radio id, if responders come from mutual aid (CARDA, DART) would
>  they know a 413 unit-vs-Motor 9? We use alot of mutual aid; USCG, CARDA,
>  DART, Calif. Conservation Corp, Calif. Youth Authority, CAP, etc. so must
>  be able to make it understandable for them.
>
>  Michael Cockrell
>  San Joaquin County ,CA OES


RICHARD WILLIAMS, Lt. Col., CAP
Commander, Group IV, Georgia Wing