SAR Radio Codes

Wed Nov  2 09:10:56 1994
Message : #18384829    From: Josh Babcock
Address : specter@wam.umd.edu
Group   : Usenet.misc.emerg-services
Length  : 281 words
Subject : Re: SAR medical experiences


Org.  : University of Maryland, College Park

I am a member of the Appalacian Search & Rescue Conference.  This is a large
organization with eight member groups that all use the same protocalls.  The
two parts of our communications protocall that would be helpfull to you are:

1) secure the net: This call is used to precede sensitive subject information.
   While it does not prevent people from listining in to the transmittion, it
   does give incident command a chance to get family and press away from the
   base radio.  This is for the benefit of the families piece of mind mostly,
   but also for security.

2) status 1/2/3: This code is used to give basic information about subject
   status.  1 is alive and well, 2 is requires evecuation, 3 is conditions
   incompatible with life (we can't declare anyone dead, that's for the police
   and coroners).

Remember that it is important to have this sort of protocall because (at least
in MD) it is a crime to disclose any patient information without express
permission.  Even though we use FM radios (155.160 FYI) people can still
listen in for miles around if they have a scanner, and the family may be at
incident command, even though they shouldn't be.  I think I can get you a copy
of our protocall, it may serve as a good guide in making your own.

Josh Babcock
quartermaster,
Potomac Valley Rescue Groups
--
 ___
|\ /|          Don't question authority ...
| O |  It's too stupid to give a coherent answer.
|/_\|   -=- specter@wam.umd.edu -=- Yosh B. -=-
(Josh Babcock)