**[RADIO ETIQUETTE]{.underline}**

Radio use is a command and control tool. It is used to pass information
across great distances and make coordination of resources possible in a
way that smoke signals, mirrors, runners, and other ancient means of
communications just can\'t begin to match. Like any other tool, it can
be misused. Here are a few ideas that will help you to avoid become a
source of apoplexy for others.

***[Radio Language]{.underline}***

1\. Use Plain English aka "Clear Text"

-   Do not use 10 codes -- not familiar to all firefighters and can
    differ between jurisdictions.

2\. Use location identifiers or functional title

-   Location examples -- Division B, Drop Point 2, Staging Area,
    Helibase

-   Functional titles -- Taskforce Leader, Medic, Operations

-   These identifiers are known by all incident personnel and instructed
    nationally and in ICS training directed by Homeland Security
    Presidential Directive 8

3\. Use Phonetic Alphabet

-   Enunciation tends to be lost on the radio and individual letters can
    be miss-communicated over the radio.

-   Using the phonetic alphabet will reduce communication mistakes

  -------------------------- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------------- --------------------- -------------------
  **[Letter]{.underline}**   **[Code               **[Spoken           **[Letter]{.underline}**   **[Code               **[Spoken
                             Word]{.underline}**   as]{.underline}**                              Word]{.underline}**   as]{.underline}**

                                                                                                                        

  **A**                      Alpha                 AL fah              **T**                      Tango                 TANG go

  **B**                      Bravo                 BRAH voh            **U**                      Uniform               YOU nee form

  **C**                      Charlie               CHAR lee            **V**                      Victor                VIK tah

  **D**                      Delta                 DELL tah            **W**                      Whisky                Wiss key

  **E**                      Echo                  ECK oh              **X**                      X-Ray                 ECKS ray

  **F**                      Foxtrot               FOKS trot           **Y**                      Yankee                YANG key

  **G**                      Golf                  GOLF                **Z**                      Zulu                  ZOO loo

  **H**                      Hotel                 hoh TEL             **0**                      ZERO                  

  **I**                      India                 IN dee ah           **1**                      WUN                   

  **J**                      Juliet                JEW lee ETT         **2**                      TOO                   

  **K**                      Kilo                  KEY loh             **3**                      THUH-REE              

  **L**                      Lima                  LEE mah             **4**                      FO-WER                

  **M**                      Mike                  MIKE                **5**                      FI-YIV                

  **N**                      November              no VEM ber          **6**                      SIX                   

  **O**                      Oscar                 OSS cah             **7**                      SEVEN                 

  **P**                      Papa                  Pah PAH             **8**                      AIT                   

  **Q**                      Quebec                keh BECK            **9**                      NINER                 

  **R**                      Romeo                 ROW me oh                                                            

  **S**                      Sierra                see AIR rah                                                          
  -------------------------- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------------- --------------------- -------------------

4\. Use standard expressions

-   Standard expressions reduce the amount of time transmitting on
    frequencies and reduces confusion

  ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------
  **[Expression]{.underline}**   **[Meaning]{.underline}**

  Go ahead                       Pass your message

  Copy                           Message received and understood

  Say again                      Retransmit message

  Standby                        Message acknowledged but I am unable to reply or deal
                                 with it at this time.

  Affirmative                    Yes

  Negative                       No

  Over                           Information passed waiting for reply

  Out                            Transmission finished

  Do You Copy                    Do you understand, please acknowledge

  En Route                       Resources heading to incident

  Unreadable                     Used when signal received is unclear or not understood

  Disregard                      Don't pay attention to the last radio traffic
  ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------

4.  Don't Swear

**[Radio Efficiency]{.underline}**

1\. Know what you want to say before you key the radio

-   Leave out the Ahs and Ohs

-   Think first then speak

2\. Keep it short and simple

-   Try not to pack 5 seconds worth of information into 30 seconds

-   Don't use big words when a short one will do

-   **Bad:**

> Ah Taskforce Smith this is, FOBS Jones, Ah yeah ah roger that ah
> Taskforce - got a ah solid copy on your last ah transmission about
> that ah geographical location that we\'re ah supposed to be moving
> towards to ah, rendezvous ah, that is, ah, meet up with the ah, other
> Crew.\
> Over

-   **Good:**

> Net control this is FOBS Jones\
> Copy\
> Out

3\. Pause your transmition every now and then

-   Ensure that the person on the other end is copying your transmition

-   Allows others to break in with more important information without
    walking over your transmition

4\. Remember the whole world is listening

5\. Speak clearly, don't shout

-   Shouting causes distortion and makes you hard to understand

6\. Don't read everything back

-   It doubles the air time

-   Use \"Say again\" for the stuff you didn\'t copy

-   Instead say \"Copy, over\" and stand by for the next transmition

7\. Transmitions should include unit identifiers

-   To be sure you\'re getting through to the right person

-   **Here\'s a sample:\
    **\"Division Bravo this is Strike Team Brown\" *(STLR wants to talk
    to the DIV B and is letting them know).*

> \"Strike Team Brown, this is Division Bravo, go ahead over\" *(DIV B
> is telling Team one that they\'re ready to listen.*
>
> They might have said\
> \"Strike Team Brown, this is Division Bravo, wait, out\" *(the DIV B
> is up to their butts spot fires and will call Team one back.*
>
> \"Strike Team Brown, this is Division Bravo, go ahead, over\" *(OK
> spots dealt with, what\'s on your mind?*
>
> \"Division Bravo this is Strike Team Brown, we need some buckets,
> over\" *(Pause to see, did you get that, Command Post?)*
>
> \"Strike Team Brown, this is Division Bravo, copy, over\" *(OK Team
> one, ready for more info)*
>
> \"Division Bravo, this is Strike Team Brown, Johnson will be the
> ground contact for the buckets, over\" *(Get that too?)*
>
> \"Strike Team Brown, this is Division Bravo, copy, over\" *(Yep, got
> it, anything else?)*
>
> \"Division Bravo, this is Strike Team Brown, out\" *(Nope, done
> talking)*

-   This is a simple way to reduce air time used by eliminating points
    of confusion because someone misunderstood the message.

    8\. Remain calm and speak clearly

-   Remember we train for this

-   This increases our reaction time and allows us to make good, safe
    decisions