PURPOSE: This section of the Emergency Operations Guidelines is to provide guidance in Fire Department Communication Procedures.

The use of clear text style communications is strongly encouraged to facilitate a better understanding by both parties of what is being communicated. While it has been a long standing tradition to utilize a ten code system in the fire service, a code system serves little purpose except to complicate effective communications.

Recognizing that certain situations require some secrecy and the use of coded signals is helpful. The Tupelo Fire Department has established the following codes specifically for Fire Department use:

Signal 100: Firefighter Injury (minor injury)

Signal 101: Firefighter Death,, Major Injury, Entrapment, or Unaccounted

Should an emergency such as an injury, entrapment, lost, out of air, etc. arise concerning any member of a crew operating within the hazard area, that crew member should use the distress signal "MAY-DAY" as a signal to alert personnel on the scene to the problem. The "MAY-DAY" should be followed by the firefighter's radio designation (1A, 1B, 2A, etc.) and the nature of the distress.

Once a "MAY-DAY" is out, command should have dispatch clear all traffic with an alert tone. Command should have all other units move to another radio frequency and appoint someone else over these units in order to keep the current operations going. An attempt should now be made to identify the member more thoroughly and if possible his/her location or general location should be established. The tactical worksheet can be utilized at this time to pin point the location and assignment of the missing firefighter at the time of the last PAR. As soon as possible, the RIT team should be deployed.

Effective communications involves two parties, the sender expresses the communication in some form, and the receiver understands the communication. In order to make sure that the idea being communicated is understood, the receiver of the message should acknowledge the message and concisely repeat the meaning.

Example:    (Engine 1 to Engine 2) "Engine 2 lay a supply line."

                  (Engine 2) "Engine 2, copies laying a line."