EMS command vehicle names.

Fluffy126577

New Member
May 24, 2010
721
Toledo, OH
We are looking at re-naming the command vehicle we have here at the station and didn't know if anyone else had names for one's around them. Right now it is "car 4" but we want something a little more professional. It's a Tahoe. So if anyone can please submit some I would appreciate it.
 

Fluffy126577

New Member
May 24, 2010
721
Toledo, OH
Squads.
 

Doug

Member
May 23, 2010
1,151
Maryland
Fluffy126577 said:
We are looking at re-naming the command vehicle we have here at the station and didn't know if anyone else had names for one's around them. Right now it is "car 4" but we want something a little more professional. It's a Tahoe. So if anyone can please submit some I would appreciate it.

EMS 4. The car designation is rather ambiguous; it doesn't tell you anything about what the unit's for.
 

Fluffy126577

New Member
May 24, 2010
721
Toledo, OH
I didn't think it matters either but this is what I was told to find out so what better place than here. :)
 

FreshDave04

Member
Jun 30, 2010
3,000
Elkhart, IN
All of our command units/chief's revolve around the number "1". The chief of police is "Unit 1," the shift commanders are "101," "201," & "301." The fire chief is Command 1 and the lead command/operations vehicles are "Battalion 1," "Ops 1," "Rescue 1," and so on...
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
our ems "command" is A1 (administrative 1)
 
May 22, 2010
1,163
Central WV
I've seen them as EMS 1, Command 1, and Chief 1. Chief 1 only works if it is the Chiefs vehicle at all times. There is no mistaking Command 1. EMS 1 would be pretty easy to associate with EMS command. You could also use Supervisor 1 which would be pretty indicative of the vehicle that would have the person in charge in it, thus likely the command vehicle. Hope that helps.
 

Bonanno

Member
May 21, 2010
535
Neptune, NJ
My squad's Captain is also the OEM Assistant Coordinator, Twp EMS Coordinator, County EMS Coordinator, a NJ EMS Task Force Leader. He generally uses whatever he feels is appropriate for the occasion. His vehicle is marketed though for OEM/HazMat use. This is how he generally uses for his radio callsigns.


34-3-50: for general ems calls, MVAs, fire calls, mutual aid to other areas


34-50: Structure Fires, Larger MVAs/extrications/Water rescues


34-96: OEM/HazMat calls, Water Rescue calls,


96-50: County assignments as a coordinator


In my county it is laid out what every type of vehcile, unit, officer, individual will be with regards to radio designation. There is little room to move.


30-32: OEM Coordinators


50-54 EMS officers (Capt, 1st Lt, 2nd Lt, Sgt/engineer)


66: Fire Chief


67: Asst/Deputy Chief


68-70: FD OFficers (Capt, 1st Lt, 2nd Lt)


All vehicles for command are simply marked with their corresponding Agency and Radio Callsign denoted by our county system. Some Additional may say EMS Command, Incident Command, Command, Chief, Captain, Coordinator, Etc.
 

STT Installer

Member
May 28, 2010
460
Idaho
"Command 4" works, we also have a partial carryover of the CDF/CalFire naming sequence: Unit Chief 2100, Battalion 2104, Engine 2186, Water Tender 2162, County Water Tender 35, Butte Crew 2, etc... Unit identification was the first two digits (21=Butte Ranger Unit) and the last two digits corresponded with the type of unit, typically command for the entire unit would be 00, command staff 01-10, various engines by location 20-50, contract and seasonal 51-69, heavy equipment and logistics 70-99.
 

STT Installer

Member
May 28, 2010
460
Idaho
Correction - reviewed a few things on the numbering sequence here...


00-09 Unit Admin


10-19 Battalion Chiefs


20-29 Prevention Officers


30-39 Repair/Mechanics/Fuel Trucks


40-49 Dozers/Transport/Dozer Tenders


50-69 4x4 high clearance wildland engines


70-99 standard rear-axle drive "pavement" engines
 

Alex

Member
May 21, 2010
205
Queen Creek, AZ
PRV or PERV :D


Paramedic Response Vehicle


Paramedic Emergency Response Vehicle


or if BLS


Priority Response Vehicle lol, I just like the acronym perv.
 

RJ*

Member
May 21, 2010
346
Finland
TNFF412N said:
+1 on BOB

Ours is, believe it or not, what could be translated as "LARRY-4". OK, in reality it's L-4, "Larry" just comes from the phonetic alphabet we use. But that's what you'll hear over the radio.
 

FFParker

Member
Jul 17, 2010
1,095
Aiken, SC
M.E.R.V OR M.R.V Medical Emergency Response Vehicle. or just drop the emergency. just a thought.
 

Lt. Dino

Member
May 24, 2010
144
Georgetown, USA
To the OP, I see nothing unprofessional with Car 4. Our Chief's car is Car 1, and deputies down to captains are Car 2 thru Car 5. A couple private ambulance services I've worked for: the supervisor's truck didn't have a number, but was named for the supervisor on duty that day (ie: my friend was S-22, so when he was working, the truck was S-22), another company I work for the supervisor's truck is L-9. Not sure why, but it is. Another dept nearby uses K-1 for their CVPI. They chose K because there won't be confusion over 'E-1' versus 'C-1' - K-1 stands out. And nearby Rowley has their Tahoe labled as Rescue 1.


There's plenty of options, but if people know it as Car 4, why change?
 
May 22, 2010
153
MI, USofA
RJ* said:
Ours is, believe it or not, what could be translated as "LARRY-4". OK, in reality it's L-4, "Larry" just comes from the phonetic alphabet we use. But that's what you'll hear over the radio.

"Larry?" what is "M" in your alphabet? - in the alphabet I'm familiar with, M is "Mary" (which could easily be confused with L "Larry" if the connection is not clear) ... L is, to my knowledge, generally "Lincoln" ... ?
 

TCO

Member
May 21, 2010
808
Malvern,Pa
well vinny could work


actually medcom# or just plain old car 1,etc
 

cory y

Member
May 21, 2010
1,614
just call it the 'Hoe...


although you might get some snickers on the radio when requesting.


"could you start the 'hoe this way?"


or "yeah the chief is driving the 'hoe tonight"
 

FireEMSPolice

Member
May 21, 2010
3,429
Ohio
cory y said:
just call it the 'Hoe...

although you might get some snickers on the radio when requesting.


"could you start the 'hoe this way?"


or "yeah the chief is driving the 'hoe tonight"

Or when it breaks down, as most Chevys do, you can say "the 'hoe is riding rough"
 

tnems7

Member
May 21, 2010
407
USA Nashville Tennessee
I'm recommending you call command vehicles ECO -pronounced Echo - for emergency command officer - or emergency command, operations. That way, if you have multiple incidents, you can shift to ECO 1, ECO 2, etc. A squad could become an ECO unit if needed, so it is based upon the mission of the response team or officials, not the type of vehicle.
 
May 22, 2010
1,163
Central WV
tnems7 said:
I'm recommending you call command vehicles ECO -pronounced Echo - for emergency command officer - or emergency command, operations. That way, if you have multiple incidents, you can shift to ECO 1, ECO 2, etc. A squad could become an ECO unit if needed, so it is based upon the mission of the response team or officials, not the type of vehicle.

I like that. I haven't heard that one before, but it would be destinct and different. It is not as in your face as Command 1 is, but I like it.


The only down side is that it could be confused with ESU 1 (Emergency Servies Unit 1) in terms of what the acronym stands for.
 

Patrol 3-8

Member
Jun 7, 2010
44
US Ohio
tnems7 said:
I'm recommending you call command vehicles ECO -pronounced Echo - for emergency command officer - or emergency command, operations. That way, if you have multiple incidents, you can shift to ECO 1, ECO 2, etc. A squad could become an ECO unit if needed, so it is based upon the mission of the response team or officials, not the type of vehicle.

Im thinking Emergency Technical Command Operations would work better... ECTO-1 ECTO-2...gotta admit, people wouldnt forget the unit numbers...
 
May 22, 2010
153
MI, USofA
tnems7 said:
I'm recommending you call command vehicles ECO -pronounced Echo - for emergency command officer - or emergency command, operations. That way, if you have multiple incidents, you can shift to ECO 1, ECO 2, etc. A squad could become an ECO unit if needed, so it is based upon the mission of the response team or officials, not the type of vehicle.

Except that here (in Kent County) ECO = Emergency Communications Operator (Dispatch) ... :D


(I realize he's not in KC, just sayin' ... ;) )
 

NJEMT

Member
May 22, 2010
377
Essex County, NJ
In the fire dept where i live they use Car 2 for the command at a fire scene. It is the deputy chief on duty. Car 1 being the chief if he responds.
 
May 22, 2010
153
MI, USofA
SO Brite Lighting said:
M = Mike
L = Lima

see, you're going all military on us ... :D the "civilian" version (used by pretty much every police and fire dept I've ever listened to on the scanner) is


adam boy charles david edward frank george henry ida john king lincoln mary nora ocean paul queen robert sam tom union victor william xray yellow zebra


(yeah, yeah, yeah, I know most of you already know this, I was just making sure I could still do it from memory .... :D )
 

C420sailor

Member
May 23, 2010
502
Virginia, USA
Mick (firewolf) said:
see, you're going all military on us ... :D the "civilian" version (used by pretty much every police and fire dept I've ever listened to on the scanner) is


adam boy charles david edward frank george henry ida john king lincoln mary nora ocean paul queen robert sam tom union victor william xray yellow zebra


(yeah, yeah, yeah, I know most of you already know this, I was just making sure I could still do it from memory .... :D )

The "civilian" version makes me cringe every time I hear it.
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
Yellow?


around here allagencys say "young"
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
FEMA and NIMS generally use the so-called NATO version, alpha, bravo, charlie etc. All of the local PD's around this area do the same. The Adam, Boy, Charles version dates from the early days of police 2-way radio in the 1940's and was replaced by most agencies and the military by the alpha, bravo, charlie system due to better intelligibility and less confusion, particularly when people with heavy accents or non-native speakers use the alphabet.


http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/usr/usr_23_20080205_rog.pdf
 

RJ*

Member
May 21, 2010
346
Finland
C420sailor said:
The "civilian" version makes me cringe every time I hear it.

+1


And the "Alpha"-alphabet is not just military... civil aviation, and international shipping use it as well.
 

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