COMMUNICATION TIP #4 5/19/06
"Message Received...Message Understood" If only all radio communications could be that easy. As we discussed in the last Communication Tip, radio communication at the scene of an emergency is constantly affected by factors such as noise, activity, reception, radio and battery condition, area of use and other radio traffic. Unfortunately most of these factors affect our communications in a negative way.
Speaking from the position of an on scene commander or supervisor it can be very frustrating when using the radio to pass out assignments or maintain company accountability when it is unclear if your radio messages are being received or understood. This frustration is often mirrored by the company commander or member who experiences the same frustration when trying to efffectively communicate with the I.C. .
As fundamental as this may sound, you must roger and/or acknowledge all radio messages directed to you. At an emergency incident, especially in the early stages of an escalating incident, it is always best to not only acknowledge the radio message but also to repeat any assignment given so that the I.C. has no doubt that his assignment has been received and is clearly understood.
One reason this is important is because of the "radio environment" at the Command Post. Most incidents are now run on multiple channels. Multiple channels, multiple radios, multiple speakers - a design for confusion. An Incident Commander is not only monitoring multiple radio channels but he is also hearing, filtering and prioritizing communication from a number of resources and personnel simultaneously. This can cause confusion at the C.P. when at times it seems that everyone is talking on their radios at the same time. By repeating their assignment, along with the companies identifier, company members can cut through the confusion and be assured that they are being properly tracked on the I.C.s tracking sheets.
Example: I.C. - "Light Force 102 I'd like you to take Fire Attack on the 3rd Floor".
LF 102 - "Roger. LF 102 taking Fire Attack on the 3rd Floor".
We can all improve our radio communication. We all need to improve our radio communication. It seems like at every emergency critique we talk about how we struggle with communication in one area or another. Let's work together on this one. It's simple. To insure the sender that their message was received and understood....Acknowledge all radio messages!
