 |
Jump to: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
A
AED - automatic external defibrillator, a device that uses an electrical shock to restore the normal activity of the heart. AED machines typically come with printed or audible instructions for novices on how to properly use them.
agonal respiration - slow, gasping breathing, usually seen in a person who is near death.
ALI - Automatic Location Identification, the address where a call is originating.
ALS - Advanced Life Support, such as given by EMT's or a hospital.
ANI - Automatic Number Identification, the telephone number a call is originating from.
ANI/ALI - Automatic Number Identification/Automatic Location Identification, the technology that makes Enhanced 9-1-1 possible.
APCO - Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.
APCO-MS - acronym for the Mississippi Chapter of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.
apparatus - a term used for a fire engine.
arrest - having stopped or decreased to the point of inefficiency, as in cardiac or respiratory arrest.
ATF - Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
B
B&E - breaking and entering, the law enforcement term for a burglary.
BETST - acronym for the State of Mississippi Board of Emergency Telecommunications Standards & Training, the regulatory agency that certifies telecommunicators in Mississippi and governs their continuing education.
BLEOST - State of Mississippi Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training, the regulatory agency for law enforcement officers in Mississippi.
BLS - Basic Life Support, including first-aid and CPR.
C
CAD - Computer Aided Dispatch system, a computer program used by telecommunicators to track emergency units, plan responses to incidents, keep logs of dates and times of actions, and more. CAD systems replace traditional paper logging of emergency response details.
call center - a central location that handles emergency calls.
calltaker - a person who handles telephone calls.
capias - an arrest warrant, literally translated from Latin as "you should seize".
chain of survival - a series of steps developed by the American Heart Association to improve the number of lives saved in cardiovascular emergencies. The steps call for early access (quickly calling 9-1-1 or EMS), early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced life support.
check digit - an extra letter or number that helps to distinguish or validate items like VIN numbers and license plates. A Ducks Unlimited tag in Mississippi ends with the check digits "DU".
CISD - Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, a system of support resources for public safety professionals to help them deal with the stress that occurs in their profession. CISD helps public safety professionals through the problems that often arise after exposure to traumatic events, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder.
CISM - Critical Incident Stress Management, another name for CISD.
clipping - pressing a radio's transmit button too late or releasing it too early, resulting in loss of parts of a transmission. "Front end clipping" occurs when you begin to speak before pressing the radio's transmit button. "Back end clipping" happens when you continue speaking after releasing the transmit button.
code - at a maximum response level. Emergency units are said to be "running code" when they respond with lights and siren in use.
consolidated call center - a 9-1-1 call center where telecommunicators both receive emergency calls and dispatch appropriate external agencies.
copy - to receive and understand information, often heard in "good copy".
corrections - the part of law enforcement dealing with the detainment of criminals.
CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a lifesaving technique that keeps the brain oxygenated until advanced life support can be given.
crank - a slang term for crystal methamphetamine.
D
defibrillation - the use of an applied electric shock to restore the normal activity of the heart.
dispatcher - a person who initiates a response from appropriate sources and supervises/coordinates responding units.
E
echo - a procedure used to make sure transmitted information has been received and understood by repeating the information. Echoing allows the source to verify that their message has been understood properly, and allows other sources to hear the information clearly.
EMA - Emergency Management Agency.
EMR - Emergency Medical Responder, a person who provides response of a medical nature.
EMS - Emergency Medical Services, a generic term for any agency that provides response of a medical nature.
EMT - Emergency Medical Technician, a certified medical responder. Commonly referred to as a paramedic.
EOC - Emergency Operations Center.
epi - epinephrine, traditionally known as adrenalin. Many people with severe allergies carry an epinephrine autoinjector, such as the Epi-Pen, to prevent anaphylactic shock.
F
FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigations
FCC - Federal Communications Commission, the federal regulatory agency over all communications programs and facilities.
FD - Fire Department.
FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States agency that works to prepare for disasters and limit the losses from catastrophic events.
first responder - a person or agency who responds to emergencies to provide assistance until other dispatched units arrive. First responders frequently are EMR's, and provide basic life support and other medical treatment until an ambulance arrives.
G
GPS - Global Positioning System, a technology that uses satellites orbiting the earth to map locations with a high degree of precision and accuracy.
H
HAZ/MAT - hazardous materials.
Homeland Security - The United States Department of Homeland Security, created in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Homeland Security works to identify national threats and prevent their occurrence, and to limit the damage from catastrophic events through swift, coordinated emergency response.
I
ICS - Incident Command System, a system that organizes resources used in emergency situations. ICS establishes a chain of command to make better use of federal, state, and local response and encourages organization and cooperation between various agencies. Sometimes called Incident Command Structure.
interoperability - the ability of various things to work together. The term is often used in the context of emergency response, where it refers to agencies working together in a coordinated effort and sharing data and resources.
IV - intravenous, referring to anything situated in or entering a vein. IV as a general term refers to the equipment and devices used to give a person medications, fluids, or other substances through a needle injected into a vein
J
jurisdiction - a geographical or political area in which one particular agency or organization is assigned responsibility. Law enforcement officers often are charged with protection of a jurisdiction consisting of a particular city, county, or other defined area.
K
K-9 - canine, referring to specially-trained dogs that sniff out drugs, locate explosives, or other specialties.
key - to activate a radio for transmission by pressing a transmit button. Units "key up" when ready to talk.
L
log - a paper or computer-generated list of events and the dates and times they occurred. Logs are used to record the actions of emergency responders.
M
Mace - trade name for a common self-defense/non-lethal weapon spray, similar to OC. Incorrectly used to describe generic self-defense sprays.
ME - Medical Examiner, also referred to as a coroner.
meth - crystal methamphetamine, an illegal narcotic produced from easily-available common materials.
meth lab - a site for manufacturing crystal methamphetamine.
MI - myocardial infarction, the proper term for death of heart muscle caused by lack of oxygen or nutrients. Often called "heart attack".
MRE - "Meals Ready to Eat", packaged food kits distributed to the military and used as relief supplies for civilians.
MSDOH - Mississippi Department of Health, the regulatory agency for emergency medical services workers in the state.
MVA - motor vehicle accident.
MVC - motor vehicle collision. Many agencies favor use of MVA.
N
NATR - Natchez Trace Parkway, part of the National Park Service.
NCIC - National Crime Information Center, a nationwide computer network operated by the FBI for exchange of information between law enforcement and related agencies.
neighborhood watch - a community program where residents in a particular area agree to patrol their own neighborhoods and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.
NIMS - National Incident Management System, a national framework that uses the principle of ICS to establish a national framework for organizing resources used to respond to domestic emergencies.
NPS - National Park Service.
O
OC - oleoresin capsicum, a chemical extracted from chili peppers and used in self-defense and non-lethal weapon sprays.
P
paramedic - a certified medical responder.
PAR - Personnel Accountability Report, a technique used by law enforcement, fire departments, and other agencies to verify that all personnel have been accounted for and are safe.
passenger car/truck - a vehicle designed primarily for carrying passengers only, as compared to vehicles designed to haul cargo or serve other purposes.
PD - Police Department.
phonetics - a system of spelling information by using easy-to-distinguish words. Phonetics fall under various standards. For example, APCO in NATO phonetics is given as "Alpha, Papa, Charlie, Oscar". APCO in police-style phonetics would be "Adam, Paul, Charles, Ocean".
Phase I/Phase II/Phase III - The FCC phases of wireless 9-1-1 deployment. Phase I is the receipt of a wireless 9-1-1 call by the nearest PSAP. Phase II includes the receipt of the caller's telephone number. Phase III is the receipt of both telephone number and the caller's location.
placard - a diamond-shaped, numbered sign placed on vehicles to warn of potential hazards with the cargo they are carrying. They are enforced by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the information on them quickly tells what dangers to expect.
posttraumatic stress disorder - a psychiatric disorder that frequently occurs following exposure to life-threatening events such as serious accidents, violent personal assaults, military combat, natural disasters, or terrorist incidents. Public safety professionals are frequent victims of PTSD.
Project - an APCO project that identifies problems and needs in public safety and works to find the best solution. APCO Projects have addressed radio communications, interoperability, standardized training, and much more.
PSAP - Public Safety Answering Point. This is typically a 9-1-1 call center, but includes any single place where emergency calls are answered.
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network, the physical collection of routers, switches, and lines that make up the public telephone network around the world.
R
referral - directing a caller to another source of assistance. Agencies may refer a caller to another agency that handles their situation.
relay - taking information and conveying it to another party. 9-1-1 centers often relay emergency calls that reach the wrong call center by taking the information and contacting the appropriate agency directly.
rescue breathing - the blowing of air into the lungs of a person in respiratory arrest by another person, part of traditional CPR technique.
rolling meth lab - a portable facility for the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine, typically in a motor vehicle.
S
SCBA - self-contained breathing apparatus, a tank system to provide breathable air in situations where oxygen is not available or the air is unsafe to breath.
scene safety - the safety of a location where emergency response has been directed.
secure scene - a location that has been secured (generally by law enforcement) and deemed safe for emergency responders to work in.
SO - Sheriff's Office.
SOP - Standard Operating Procedures, an established and written set of rules an agency provides to its employees to ensure compliance with policy.
subject - a person involved in an incident. Subjects can be witnesses, patients, complainants, etcetera.
subpoena - a court-issued order. There are two types of subpoena, the general subpoena (ad testificandum) and the subpoena duces tecum. A general subpoena (ad testificandum) is an order to appear in a court of law and give testimony regarding a particular matter. A subpoena duces tecum is an order to produce documents or records related to a matter, and to bring those items to a court of law or provide them to the court or legal counsel requesting the items.
suspect - a person who is suspected of committing a crime. Not to be confused with subject.
T
telecommunicator - a person who receives, processes, and transmits public safety information. Telecommunicators may be calltakers, dispatchers, or both.
telematics - the use of telecommunications functions that originate or terminate inside an automobile. One use of telematics is the tracking of emergency vehicle locations, enabling dispatch of the nearest unit and the reduction of response times.
ten codes - numeric codes used by some public safety agencies to communicate quickly and concisely. The most famous ten code is "10-04" ("ten-four"), a universal code for "message has been received and understood". Ten codes are designed to be easy to understand over radio interference, and decrease the amount of time it takes to transmit information.
Ten Signals - a set of standardizes codes created by APCO Project 4 to reduce congestion on radio frequencies. Now referred to as ten codes.
traffic - incoming and outgoing communications, particularly via telephone and radio.
triage - the assessment and prioritization of patients requiring medical treatment. Triage makes it possible to get the right help to as many patients as possible, and as quickly as possible.
trustee - a criminal convicted of a non-violent offense who is allowed to use their time in service to the public, such as by removing litter from highways. Also spelled as "trusty".
twenty-four hour time - a system of time that numbers twenty four hours in a day. Midnight in twenty-four hour time is 0:00 (zero hundred), and 11:59 p.m. is 23:59 (twenty-three fifty-nine). Used frequently in public safety to avoid confusion between AM and PM times.
U
universal precautions - an established set of precautions to prevent contamination from germs and bacteria. Universal precautions typically means the use of barriers such as gloves, face/eye shields, and protective clothing, but also includes methods of handling hazardous biological materials.
V
vanity registration - A vehicle registration that gives the owner their choice of what numbers and letters are used, such as license plates like "JAXCAR" or "2FAST4U".
VIN - vehicle identification number, a unique number assigned when a vehicle is manufactured and used to identify it for taxation and ownership purposes.
VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol, a technology that transmits sound over the Internet by converting it to data, and can be used to place calls from the Internet to any phone in the world.
- - - - - -
|
 |
