CERT Basic Radio Communication

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CERT Basic Radio Communication
WYCO KS COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM under
the direction of Kansas City, Kansas / Wyandotte
County Emergency Management Department
Mike Baughman CERT Program Manager
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Types of Stations Tactical Call Signs
WYCO CERT CALL SIGN EXAMPLES
MOBILE
GROUND (portable and fixed)
Search Team 3 Mobile Mobile Command
Command Search Team 1 Fire Team 2 Triage Team
Leader Medical Staging Rehab Damage Team
4 Washington Shelter
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PROWORDS
Prowords are a special set of words used for
clarity and brevity in communications. Most
commonly used prowords are

• AFFIRMATIVE Yes
• AVAILABLE Used when a unit is ready for
  assignment.
• AVAILABLE AT SCENE Used when a unit is still
  committed to an incident, but could be dispatched
  to a new assignment if necessary.
• AVAILABLE AT RESIDENCE Used by personnel to
  indicate they are available and on-call at their
  residence.
• AT / ON SCENE Indicates units have arrived at
  the scene of an incident.
• BREAK I hereby indicate the separation of the
  text from other portions of the message or you
  are trying to interrupt a radio transmission.
• CAN HANDLE Indicates that the resources on scene
  of the incident are adequate.
• COMMAND Incident Commander
• COPY, COPIES Used to acknowledge message
  received. Example Search Team 1 Copies.
• CORRECTION An error has been made in this
  transmission. Transmission will continue with the
  last word correctly transmitted. An error has
  been made in this transmission (or message
  indicated) The correct version is__________ That
  which follows is a corrected version answer to
  your request for verification.
• DISREGARD LAST MESSAGE Self explanatory.
• DISREGARD THIS TRANSMISSION This transmission is
  in error. Disregard it. (This proword shall not
  be used to cancel any message that has been
  completely transmitted and for which receipt or
  acknowledgment has been received.)
• EMERGENCY TRAFFIC Term used to gain control of
  radio frequency to report an emergency or an
  emergency in progress. All other users will
  refrain from using that frequency until cleared
  for normal use.
• EN ROUTE Normally used by personnel to designate
  destinations. En route Is NOT a substitute for
  responding.
• FIGURES Numerals or numbers follow (Optional)
• FIRE CONTAINED Self explanatory.

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I READ BACK The following is my response to your
instructions to read back I SAY AGAIN I am
repeating transmission or portion indicated I
SPELL I spell the next word phonetically LOUD
AND CLEAR Self explanatory MESSAGE A message
which requires recording is about to follow
(Transmitted immediately after the call. )
MINIMIZE Please limit your transmissions to
essential traffic. Emergency operational traffic
is in progress. MINIMIZE is imposed by Net
Control or by the Incident Commander. MINIMIZE
LIFTED Minimize is lifted by Net Control or by
the Incident Commander MORE TO FOLLOW
Transmitting station has additional traffic for
the receiving station NEGATIVE No OUT This is
the end of my transmission to you and no answer
is required or expected. (Since OVER and OUT have
opposite meanings, they are never used together
OVER This is the end of my transmission to you
and a response is necessary. Go ahead transmit
READ BACK Repeat this entire transmission back
to me exactly as received. RELAY (TO) Transmit
this message to all addresses (or addresses
immediately following this proword). The address
component is mandatory when this proword is used
REPEAT Do not used this word. (This proword is
used in US Army Artillery to request another
artillery round be fired.) RESPOND, RESPONDING
Used during a dispatch proceed to or proceeding
to an incident. RESUME NORMAL TRAFFIC Opens the
frequency back up to normal traffic. RETURN TO
________ Normally used by a dispatch center to
direct units to return to their original
location. For example Triage Team 1, return to
staging. ROGER I have received your last
transmission satisfactorily. SAY AGAIN Repeat
all of your last transmission. SPEAK SLOWER Your
transmission is at too fast a speed. Reduce speed
of transmission STANDBY Indicates a need to wait
for further information by either the sending or
receiving party. STOP TRANSMITTING Self
explanatory
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THIS IS This transmission is from the station
whose designator immediately follows TIME That
which immediately follows is the time. UNKNOWN
STATION The identity of the station with whom I
am attempting to establish communication is
unknown. UNREADABLE Used when the signal
received is not clear. In most cases, try to add
the specific trouble. Example Unreadable, back
ground noise. WAIT I must pause for a few
seconds. WAIT OUT I must pause for more than a
few seconds. WHAT IS YOUR LOCATION Self
explanatory. WILCO I have received your signal,
understand it, and will comply. (To be used only
by the addressee. Since the meaning of ROGER is
included in that of WILCO, the two prowords are
never used together. WORD AFTER The word of the
message to which I have reference is that which
follows. WORD BEFORE The word of the message to
which I have reference is that which precedes.
WORDS TWICE Communication is difficult. Transmit
each phrase twice. This proword may be used as an
order, request, or as information.
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Phonetic Alphabet
Letter Phonetic Letter Phonetic A Alpha B
Bravo C Charlie D Delta E Echo F
Foxtrot G Golf H Hotel I India J
Juliet K Kilo L Lima M Mike N November
O Oscar P Papa Q Quebec R Romeo S
Sierra T Tango U Uniform V Victor W
Whiskey X Xray Y Yankee Z Zulu
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1. To distinguish numerals from words similarly
pronounced, the proword "FIGURES" may be used
preceding such numbers. 2. When numerals are
transmitted by radiotelephone, the following
rules for their pronunciation will be observed
3. Numbers will be transmitted digit by digit
except that exact multiples of thousands may be
spoken as such. However, there are special cases,
such as anti-air warfare reporting procedures,
when the normal pronunciation of numerals is
prescribed for example, 17 would then be
"seventeen." 4. The figure "ZERO" is to be
written "Ø," the figure "ONE" is to be written
"1" and the letter "ZULU" is to be written "Z."
5. Difficult words may be spelled phonetically
using the four-step method. Abbreviations and
isolated letters should be spelled phonetically
without the proword "I SPELL.
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I SPELL / FIGURES / INITIALS

• Use I SPELL for pronounceable words
• PIZZA
• I SPELL PIZZA PAPA INDIA ZULU ZULU ALPHA
  PIZZA
• Use FIGURE(S) AND INITIAL(S) for non-words
• N516F
• INITIAL NOVEMBER FIGURES FIVE ONE SIX INTIAL
  FOXTROT

CORRECTIONS
? Use proword CORRECTION to correct a
mistake Example Turn right at next corner
CORRECTION Turn left at next corner
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SENDING NUMBERS

• Use of Prowords FIGURES, DECIMAL, TIME,
  INITIALS

Digit-by-Digit Not Seven Fifty
750 FIGURES SEVEN FIVE ZERO
Niner Not Nine
849 FIGURES EIGHT FOUR NINER
Decimal Point
14.5 FIGURES ONE FOUR DECIMAL FIVE
Z Time
1635Z TIME ONE SIX THREE FIVE ZULU
Initial And Figures
E21 INITIAL ECHO FIGURES TWO ONE
One Figure and Initial
3-A FIGURE THREE DASH INITIAL ALPHA
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• Operator Responsibility
• The primary responsibility of the radio
  operator is to pass accurate and timely
  information from the sender to the receiver and
  follow through with an accurate and timely
  response to the sender if needed.
• Transmit only when necessary. Use plain english,
  no 10 codes.
• Limit your transmissions to no more than TEN
  seconds each. Anything longer than that will not
  allow anyone with emergency traffic to use the
  frequency. Insert breaks in any transmissions
  that need to be longer.
• Never use actual names, or anything else that
  is sensitive over the air. Never use a personal
  name over the air. Use their tactical callsign
  designation, for example, Fire Team One.
• Say addresses only when necessary.
• Always speak clearly. This should be a given.
  Never pause on the air. Know what you are going
  to say BEFORE you key the mike. Know what your
  response is BEFORE you key the mike. DO NOT
  pollute the airwaves with unnecessary "ummms",
  "ahhhhs" and anything else that announces
  cluelessness over the air. Do not key the mike
  while looking up some information. Do not key the
  mike unless you are prepared to speak.
• Do not "step" on each other. Always say, OVER
  when it is time for the other guy to talk. When
  two other people are talking to each other, do
  not jump in unless they call you.

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• Acknowledge the reception of information with a
  brief repetition of it. For example, Operations
  to Command, Fire Team Two ENROUTE your location.
  Command to Operations, COPIES Fire Team Two
  ENROUTE my location. This lets both parties know
  that each other understands, without any errors
  or excess. Directions should be given from a
  specific, unmistakable reference. The other guy
  doesn't always know what you have in mind. If it
  can be misunderstood, it will be.
• Do not get into pissing contests over the air,
  with ANYBODY. EVER. PERIOD.
• Always know what the other channels are for.
  Example channel 14, 38 command channel 12, 22
  Fire Team operations channel 5, 33 Medical Team
  Operations, etc.
• When communicating patient triage results, the
  terms Immediate, Delayed, Dead as taught in
  the class will not be transmitted. Use Red
  (Immediate), Yellow (Delayed), Black (Dead).
  EXAMPLE 3 RED, 12 YELLOW, 6 BLACK, 25 GREEN.
  The term Green (walking wounded) can be used to
  describe someone who is mentally and physically
  able to remove themselves from the danger area.

CAUTION THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE NEWS MEDIA
CAN HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING ON THESE
FREQUENCIES. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY
AND HOW TO SAY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
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CALLING ANOTHER STATION

• Command is calling Search Team One
• Search Team One THIS IS Command OVER
• Command THIS IS Search Team One OVER
• They conduct their traffic
• When the traffic is completed, they will say
  OVER
• When done communicating, they will say Command
  OUT, Search Team One OUT

• Search Team Two is Calling Operations

• Formulate your transmission. Keep them short and
  to the point.
• Listen to make sure the channel is clear.
• Press Push to Talk button, take a breath, and
  then speak slowly and distinctly.
• Operations THIS IS Search Team Two OVER
• Search Team Two THIS IS Operations OVER
• Requesting 2 additional search team and 1
  additional triage team OVER
• COPIES 2 search teams and 1 triage team OVER
• Search Team Two OUT
• Operations OUT

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EXAMPLE OF CHANNEL ALLOCATION
Channel 8, code 2 - Operations This is the
initial channel to be used by all CERT members.
All radios should be set to this channel when
arriving at the staging area or incident scene.
The CERT Incident Commander will use this channel
for communications with those people at the
incident scene that he/she needs to contact
directly. All CERT members will remain on that
channel until they are explicitly told to change
to another channel. In many cases, this will be
the only channel needed for communication among
team members. Channel 16, code 23 - Search and
Rescue (SAR), Recon, RIT This channel will be
used as it becomes convenient to separate
communications to/from search and rescue or recon
teams from other traffic. Use of this channel
will generally be for communications between the
SAR Group Leader and the search and rescue or
recon teams or between the teams deployed at the
incident scene. The SAR Group Leader will also
use this channel to dispatch the Rapid
Intervention Team (RIT) as needed. This channel
will not be used until authorized by the CERT
Incident Commander. Channel 12, code 38 -
Medical This channel will be used if it becomes
convenient to separate communications to/from the
medical team from other traffic. Use of this
channel will generally be for communications
between the Medical Group Leader and the various
medical teams performing triage, treatment, and
transportation of patients. This channel will
not be used until authorized by the Incident
Commander. Channel 14, code 3 - Command This
channel is only for use between the CERT Incident
Commander and the Emergency Operations Center
(EOC). It will not be used for any other
communication. Requests by CERT for support by
other groups, such as KCK Fire, KCK Police, etc.
will be made through the EOC on this channel.
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Midland LTX 410 Series GMRS / FRS Radio
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Channels 1-7 15-22 have 5 watts transmit power
Channels 8-14 have 1/2 watt transmit power