Our radio system is not public nor is it subject to FCC regulations, however, radio communications must remain professional as anyone riding in our vehicles (family members, flight crew, surgeons, etc) may hear it.

Protected Health Information (PHI) must not be transmitted via radio.

Radio communications shall be clear and concise using “closed loop communication”, meaning that the receiver repeats back all or part of the message.

Example: M1: “Medic 1 transporting to UCH. Four onboard. 25 minute ETA”.

                        iComm: “Copy Medic 1 transporting 18:15”.

The format for initiating a transmission shall be “Hey you, it’s me”. For example, if Medic 1 is calling iComm, the format is “iComm, Medic 1”.

The following benchmarks and terminology are to be transmitted by field units and recorded in CAD:

En-Route: (on the way to the pickup point)

• Include the name of the destination.

  • Example: “Delta 1 en-route to UCH”.

On-Scene: (arrived at the pickup point)

Transporting: (departing the pickup point and headed to destination)

• Include the name of the destination, number of souls onboard (including yourself), and ETA

  • Example: “Medic 1 transporting to UCH, four onboard, ETA 25 minutes”.

• If transporting emergent (Code 3), include that also.

When returning a crew, also include any stops you will be making on the way.

Example: “Medic 1 transporting on the return, four onboard, ETA 25 minutes, one stop for food”.

Arrival, At Destination, or Out: (arrived at the destination).

• Example: “Medic 1 out at UCH”.

We use the NATO phonetic alphabet. The phonetic alphabet is simply a standardized representation of speech sounds in written form, this makes it easier to avoid confusion between transmissions.

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

Using standardized radio terminology is essential for clear, efficient, and safe communication in the field. Common terminology ensures that all personnel—EMTs, Communications Specialists, OTS, and other agencies—understand messages quickly and accurately, reducing the risk of miscommunication in critical situations.

The following is a list of accepted terminology: