COMMUNICATIONS

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Communications

• Effective rescue services require a clear, concise, and rapid transmission of information

• Equipment and procedures are generally similar between patrol areas

• It is essential that patrollers be trained to use the types of communication devices found at their areas

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Hand Signals

• Assistance - raise one arm upright

• For a toboggan - raises two arms straight in the air

• For a backboard- stretches both arms straight out sideways

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Hand Signals

• Two arms raised and waving - all clear, request(s) cancelled

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Hand Signals

• The patroller at the site can use hand signals to direct the toboggan handler by pointing to the side they want the toboggan to approach from

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Signs

• Crossed skis or other appropriate device – a warning of an incident site or other danger below

• A rope across the entrance to a run or trail - the run or trail is closed

• Chalkboards, whiteboards - transmit a message to someone in particular or to the general public

• Boards with standardized messages such as "Training in progress"

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Whistle Signals

• 1 Blast - Message understood/ Correct

• 2 Blasts - Repeat

• 3 Blasts - Help!

• 4 Blasts - Bring a toboggan

• 5 Blasts - Bring a backboard

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Radio

• Radios are the preferred method of communication – The two-way communications are

instantaneous– Permit mobility while maintaining contact– Transmit on frequencies licensed to the CSPS

offer a relatively private means of communications

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Radio Features and Controls

• On/off switch

• Volume switch

• Frequency selection switch

• Squelch control switch

• PTT (push to talk) button

• Antenna

• An indication of signal

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Phonetic AlphabetLetter/Word• A ALFA• B BRAVO• C CHARLIE• D DELTA• E ECHO• F FOXTROT• G GOLF• H HOTEL• I INDIA• J JULIETT• K KILO• L LIMA• M MIKE

Letter/Word• N NOVEMBER• O OSCAR• P PAPA• Q QUEBEC• R ROMEO• S SIERRA• T TANGO• U UNIFORM• V VICTOR• W WHISKEY• X X-RAY• Y YANKEE• Z ZOOLOO

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Words and Phrases• ACKNOWLEDGE Lets

me know that you have received and understood the message

• AFFIRMATIVE Yes, or permission granted

• BREAK I hereby indicate the separation between portions of the message.

• CLEAR Conversation is ended and no response is expected

• CONFIRM My version is ….. Is that correct?

• CORRECTION An error has been made in this transmission (message indicated). The correct version is …..

• GO AHEAD Proceed with your message

• I SAY AGAIN Self-explanatory (use instead of “I repeat”)

• NEGATIVE No, or permission not granted or that is not correct, or I do not agree

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Words and Phrases• OVER My transmission is

ended, and I expect a response from you

• OUT Conversation is ended and no response is expected

• READ BACK Repeat all of this message back to me exactly as received, after I have given OVER. (Do not use the word “repeat”)

• SAY AGAIN Use instead of “please repeat”)

• THAT IS CORRECT Self-explanatory

• VERIFY Check coding check text with originator and second correct version

• WORDS TWICE Communications is difficult, please send each word twice.” As information: “Since communication is difficult, I will send each word twice.

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FRS / General Mobile Radio Service

• FRS (Family Radio Service)– low cost and availability– power output of FRS is limited to 500

milliWatts– maximum range of about 1 km

• GMRS– public means of communications– there is no protection against interference

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Care and Maintenance

• Keep your radio warm inside the jacket

• Check transmissions before leaving the base

• Immediately inform if there is a malfunction

• After the end of your shift or sweep, put your radio into its proper charger

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Cellular Phones

• Costs of cell phones are normally incurred by the user

• Reliable signal

• Everyone in the communications loop should have a list of all the cell phone numbers

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Avalanche Casualty Locators

• Avalanche transceivers such as SKADL, ELT, PIEPS, ORTOVOX, L'HELP and others are portable radio transceivers

• Used during avalanche search & rescue to locate buried person who are also wearing a transceiver

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International Distress Call

• Any three signals of any duration, visible or audible, repeated at regular intervals– smoke signals, flares, mirror flashes, marks in

the snow, whistles, branches, tracks, rocks, flashlights, or radio carrier (squelch) bursts

• Respond to them immediately with every available means of support

• The international distress call in radio is "Mayday Mayday Mayday"

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Effective Communications

• Well-defined operational guidelines that are understood and practised

• Equipment being in excellent operating condition

• Common sense from all participants when situations develop that are beyond the scope of the guidelines