A

• A.C.S.: Acute Coronary Syndrome. This is a term used for conditions caused by a sudden reduction of blood flow to the heart, such as a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or unstable angina.
• Accountability: Refers to a system used to track all personnel at the scene of an incident. This concept ensures that firefighters, command staff, and other emergency personnel are accounted for during potentially hazardous situations.
• Adam: Used with 'CAPCOM' to indicate a stolen vehicle.
• Additional: Additional unit(s) for backup. "Do you need additional?"
• Affirmative: A response indicating "yes" or confirmation of a statement or request.
• Aid: Aid vehicle from the fire department. Provides BLS aid and sometimes used for patient transport, e.g., "Aid-91".
• Air Lift: A helicopter air ambulance. Usually from Airlift Northwest.
• A.L.S.: Advanced Life Support - Paramedics - Medic One units.
• A.L.S. Upgrade: Upgrade the call from BLS to ALS. (A Medic unit will be toned out to the call.)
• Also: "I have additional information to transmit". Dispatch will respond with "Go ahead your also" or "Go ahead".
• Alpha Side: This is the front of the building or the side facing the main point of access, such as the street or entrance.
• A.M.A.: Against Medical Advice - Patient has declined medical treatment. EMS personnel will often get them to sign a form.
• A.M.R.: American Medical Response - Local ambulance company. Primary in Olympia. See: Private Carrier.
• A.O.B.: Alcohol On Board (The person has been drinking).
• Area Check: Officer is (usually out of the car) checking a local area location.
• Area Patrol: Checking a local area or neighborhood.
• Arriving: Arriving on scene, arriving on location.
• A.T.L. Attempt To Locate.
• Attempting Contact: Efforts made by officers to reach or communicate with a person, often in reference to a suspect or individual of interest, typically via phone, radio, or direct approach.

B

• Back: Short for backup. Providing backup. "6Paul10 to back"
• Back In Quarters: Fire apparatus has returned to the station and is ready for the next call.
• Bariatric: Refers to situations involving patients who are significantly overweight or obese, often requiring specialized equipment or resources to safely provide care and transport.
• Battalion: Fire department unit, usually the on-call Battalion Chief. This is usually a smaller SUV style vehicle.
• Beginning Mileage: Current mileage odometer reading before transporting a suspect to a location such as jail.
• Board Up: Requesting a business be boarded up (with plywood). Usually for a broken window or door to secure the business.
• B.L.S.: Basic Life Support - EMTs - Emergency Medical Technicians.
• BLS Yellow: A non-critical 911 response typically involving non-emergency assistance, such as aiding with patient transfers or helping an uninjured individual get up from a fall. These situations do not require immediate medical intervention.
• Bravo Side: This refers to the left side of the building when facing the Alpha side.
• Broken: Radio traffic was unreadable from the calling unit.
• Burg: Short for burglary.
• Business Check: Officer is out of car checking a local business.

C

• Cancel: No longer needed for the call or at the scene. "Medic 3 you can cancel per Aid-31"
• Canceled: No longer needed for the call or at the scene.
• CAPCOM: Used to identify an emergency or returned warrant traffic. Thurston County Dept. of Communication. Can also be used to identify officer safety information (see 'Nora' and 'Paul').
• Capital: Thurston County Dept. of Communication - Used to ID the Dispatch Center (Fire frequencies)
• C.H.F.: Congestive Heart Failure.
• Chaplain: A Fire Chaplain provides emotional support, typically to family members affected by an emergency, especially in cases involving a death.
• Charlie Side: The back or rear of the building.
• Clear: Free from current assignments or calls.
• Clear It: Close out the current assignment or call.
• Clear Traffic: Unit is done with a traffic stop and leaving the scene.
• Clear Resolved: Situation has been resolved and unit is leaving the scene.
• C.M.C.: Capitol Medical Center - Hospital on the west side of Olympia.
• Code #: See Radio Codes section.
• Copy: Received and understood the radio transmission. "How do you copy?"
• Copy Plate: Signals to dispatch that the officer is about to provide a vehicle license plate number to be looked up in the system.
• Corrective Lenses Eye Glasses / Contacts. Person is required to wear corrective lenses while driving.
• Courtesy Transport: Giving a ride to an individual to a destination.
• C.P.: Calling Party. The person who made the call to 911.

D

• Delta Side: The right side of the building when facing the Alpha side.
• Disregard: Ignore the last radio transmission or call.
• Divert: Changing current course to assist elsewhere. Can also mean to re-route traffic around an incident.
• Diverting: See Divert.
• D.I.P. Drinking In Public.
• D.L.: Drivers License.
• D.O.B.: Date Of Birth.
• Domestic: Family or household disturbance.
• Downgrading: Reducing the response level from a code response to a normal response.
• D.U.I.: Driving Under the Influence.
• D.W.I.: Driving While Impaired.
• D.W.L.S.: Driving While License Suspended.

E

• E.C.C. Emergency Command Center or Emergency Communications Center. The E.C.C. relays the incident details to individual fire agencies for priority 3 and priority 4 calls. Each fire agency handles the actual dispatching of their units, maintaining more control over local operations. See also: H.I.R.L.
• Eighty One: Headquarters or main office. "I'll be out at 81" see also 10-Codes "10-81"
• E.M.S.: Emergency Medical Services. Trained first responder personnel providing urgent medical care and transport in emergencies.
• E.M.T.: Emergency Medical Technician.
• Ending Mileage: Ending mileage odometer reading after transporting a suspect to a location such as jail.
• Engine: Fire Engine. i.e. Engine 81
• Enroute: Responding to a call or location.
• E.T.A.: Estimated Time of Arrival.

F

• F.I. Field Interview. Officer is out questioning one or more subjects.
• Fire Unit: Fire department personnel responding to incidents.
• Follow Up: Checking in again, or following up on a case or situation.
• Foot Pursuit: An officer is chasing a subject on foot.
• F.T.A. Failure To Appear. When an individual does not show up for a scheduled court appearance as required by a legal summons, citation, or release agreement.
• Fully Involved: Structure or vehicle is fully engulfed in fire.

G

• G.O.A.: Gone On Arrival. Subject or incident is no longer in the area.
• Ground Monitor: A portable master stream device that can be deployed on the ground to deliver large volumes of water to a fire.

H

• HAZMAT: Hazardous Materials or Hazardous Material Team
• H.B.D.: Has Been Drinking
• H.I.R.L. High Incident Response Load. Priority 3 or 4 calls are sent directly to fire department printers and not dispatched. The fire departments self-manage the calls. Priority one and two calls, life threatening type calls, get dispatched like normal but it frees up the dispatcher and allows the fire department to manage what resources they have.
• High Vis: High Visibility. Typically refers to a strategy used during a suspect search, where units are positioned strategically around the search area with their emergency lights on to maximize visibility and presence
• Hold Traffic: Stop non-essential radio communication. Can also be used to stop vehicle traffic "2Paul16 Hold traffic at Martin Way and Kinwood Street."

I

• Info: Information for dispatch or units.
• Initial Search: The initial, quick search of a building to locate and rescue any victims, typically conducted before the fire is fully contained.
• In Service: Ready for the next call or starting shift. When starting a shift you will usually hear "... in service, good morning."
• Interlock: An ignition interlock device requires drivers to test their Breath Alcohol Content (BrAC) before starting their car.
• Interstate Compact: An agreement between states that governs the transfer and supervision of individuals on probation or parole, ensuring accountability and coordination across state lines.
• Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS):An agreement among U.S. states to manage the transfer and supervision of adult offenders across state lines while ensuring public safety and compliance with parole or probation conditions.
• Invol: Short for Involuntary.

J

• J.O.: Juvenile Offender.
• Juvenile Detail: A call involving juveniles, such as a disturbance or welfare check.
• Jump Start: Assisting a motorist with a dead car battery.
• Jungle: An informal and often unauthorized encampment where unhoused individuals or transient populations set up makeshift living spaces.

K

• K9: Police service dog.
• K9 Unit: A police unit that includes a trained police dog.
• Keep The Peace: Maintain civility between two parties while they encounter each other.
• Knox Box: A small, wall-mounted safe that holds building keys for emergency personnel.
• K.O.: Knocked Out; often used to describe something rendered non-functional.

L

• Ladder: A fire department ladder truck.
• Landline: A Telephone. "Can you landline Data?" means to make a phone call to T-COMM's Data desk/dispatcher.
• Lane Travel: Vehicle has crossed the lane marker lines multiple times while driving."
• Level One: The fire apparatus has responded to a fire scene and is staging nearby but remain clear of the active area until given specific instructions
• Life Flight: Life Flight medical transport helicopter.
• L.O.C: Level Of Consciousness - A measurement of a person's arousability and responsiveness to verbal and physical stimuli.
• Local: Local warrants. "Check locals on one."
• Log Evidence: Log evidence into the evidence locker. "Enroute to 81 to log evidence."
• Log One: Unit has taken one person into custody.
• LZ: Landing Zone. Usually for a medical airlift helicopter. e.g., “Can you respond to Nisqually Middle School and set up an LZ?”

M

• M.D.T.: Mobile Data Terminal.
• M.I.: Mentally Ill / Mental Illness.
• M.I.P.: Minor In Possession.
• M.V.A.: Motor Vehicle Accident.
• Mal Mis / Malmish: Malicious mischief.
• Mop Up: The process of extinguishing remaining hot spots, smoldering debris, or embers after the main body of a fire has been controlled. It involves ensuring the fire is completely out and preventing rekindling.
• Multiple Units: Multiple units tried to transmit at the same time. Dispatcher was unable to understand all of them.

N

• Narcan: A life saving medicine that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. (Naloxone)
• Narco: Narcotics
• N.C.I.C. National Crime Information Center. A computerized database managed by the FBI, providing law enforcement agencies with access to information on criminal records, missing persons, stolen property, and other critical data for investigative and enforcement purposes.
• Negative: A response indicating "no" or that the requested information or condition does not exist.
• Next up: Request the next tow truck in the rotation to respond to the scene.
• Non and Non (non-non): Non-Injury / Non-Blocking accident.
• Non Priority: Needing attention but not an emergency.
• Nora: Used with 'CAPCOM' to indicate a non-extraditable warrant.
• Nothing Showing: No smoke or flame showing from the structure.

O

• Olympic: Olympic Ambulance - Local ambulance company. Primary in most of Thurston County except Olympia. See: Private Carrier
• On Scene: Arrived on the scene of the emergency or location.
• On Standby: Manned and ready to respond if needed, usually at the station.
• On View: Officer has seen something and is investigating it.
• Open Line: Telephone call is active but nobody is talking. Call was initiated but only hearing background noises.
• Open Mic: Transmit button stuck "ON," transmitting unintentionally.
• Out of Service: Not available to respond to calls. Could mean the officer is off-duty or unavailable. When going off duty you will usually hear "... out of service, good night." or "... out of service, good day."
• Out with # Officer is out with # of individuals. The officer is letting dispatch know the number of indivuduals he is encountering or questioning. "... out with 4"
• Outstanding: Something unresolved or still in effect. For vehicles, it indicates a car reported missing or stolen and not yet recovered. For warrants, it signifies a warrant that remains active and unserved.

P

• P.C. Probable Cause. The reasonable belief, based on facts or evidence, that a person has committed a crime, justifying an arrest, search, or warrant issuance.
• P.C. for Arrest: See P.C.
• Party: An individual or group involved in an incident, investigation, or situation, which could include suspects, victims, witnesses, calling party or individuals of interest.
• Paul: Used with 'CAPCOM' for officer caution or a warrant due to prior violent interaction with police.
• Pend: Mark the call as pending. "Can you pend this call and send me the next?"
• Pending: A call or situation awaiting action.
• Pete's: St. Peter Hospital - Hospital in Northeast Olympia.
• Physical: An argument or altercation involving physical fighting, often accompanied by details about weapons. For example: "Physical in the parking lot, no weapons seen."
• Physical Description: Description of the individual such as heigh, weight, hair color, clothing, etc.
• Physical Entry: Forced entry into a structure that was previously locked.
• P.O.V: Privately Owned Vehicle. "You can cancel the private carrier, patient transported by POV"
• Phone Detail: Dispatcher has a call/situation that can be handled over the phone by the officer or officer is on the phone with someone.
• Previous History: Indicates prior logged activity at the location/residence.
• Primary Search: A quick, initial search of a building during a fire incident to locate and rescue victims. It is typically performed under high-risk conditions and prioritizes speed over thoroughness.
• Priority Traffic: Emergency radio communication. Urgent transmission follows. Officer has urgent communication information.
• Private Carrier: A private ambulance service such as AMR or Olympic Ambulance.
• Probable: See P.C.
• Protection Order Violation: When an individual disobeys the terms of a court-issued protection order, such as a restraining order or no-contact order.
• Public Service Detail: A non-emergency call where an officer is dispatched to assist the public with a situation that does not involve a crime in progress or immediate threat

Q

• Quiet Approach: Responding units requested not to use lights or sirens.

R

• R.O.: Registered Owner.
• R.P.: Reporting Party.
• Radio: T-COMM911 - Used to ID the Dispatch Center (Law Enforcement frequencies).
• Received: Radio transmission was received and understood.
• Repeat Traffic: Radio transmission wasn't clear; request to repeat.
• Repeat Transmission: Radio transmission wasn't clear; request to repeat.
• Requesting Cover: Officer requesting backup at the scene.
• Rescue: Fire department vehicle providing BLS aid and other duties, e.g., "Rescue-81".
• Respondent: The individual who is named in a legal action, such as a protection order.
• Restricted Traffic: Emergency traffic only on this channel or the channel specified.
• Returning: Returning to station after cancellation or completing a call.
• Resume Normal Traffic: Notification that the channel is no longer restricted, and regular communication may proceed.
• Rollover: Vehicle accident where the vehicle has rolled over on its top at least once.

S

• Same Traffic: Same radio transmission as the last unit.
• Secondary Search: A more detailed and methodical search of the building conducted after the fire is under control. This ensures no victims were overlooked during the primary search and often involves checking spaces thoroughly.
• Send It: Send the call or information to the requseting units mobile data terminal.
• Short: A short report on the patient usually for an incoming Medic unit.
• Short Report: A short report on the patient usually for an incoming Medic unit.
• Silent Approach: Responding units requested to avoid lights or sirens.
• SORT: Special Operations Rescue Team.
• St. Pete's: St. Peter Hospital - Hospital in Northeast Olympia.
• Stage: Stand by at a safe distance from the scene and await Law Enforcement or backup. Also, fire equipment is staging nearby for further instructions from fire command.
• Staging: See Stage.
• Stand by: Request to wait and hold radio communication.
• Stand Down: Not needed at the scene, can return to quarters. "Engine 82 you can stand down." or "All incoming units can stand down."
• Starting Mileage: Current odometer mileage reading before transporting a suspect to a location such as jail.
• Status or Status Check: Dispatcher is requesting an update on the officer's status, typically initiated when there has been no communication for a specified period.
• Step It Up: Respond priority.
• Stokes Basket: Basket-type stretcher constructed of tubular steel and mesh wire. Also called "Stokes".
• Stolen Property: Any item that has been reported as taken or unlawfully obtained and is subject to recovery or investigation.
• SWAT: S.W.A.T. Special Weapons and Tactics team with specialized skills and equipment.
• Syncope: Fainting; a loss of consciousness and postural tone.

T

• T.A.: Traffic Accident.
• Tender: Fire department vehicle carrying a large amount of water to a fire scene.
• To Cover: Unit enroute to provide backup to another unit.
• To Your Screen: Information sent to officers Mobile Data Terminal.
• Traffic: Refers to vehicle license check, a motor vehicle or radio communications. "Diverting for traffic at Martin and Marvin", "Take traffic with Medic 3"
• Transport Unit: A Fire Department Aid Unit used for patient transportation, typically when no ambulances are available. On the law enforcement side, a vehicle used for transporting suspects to a station or jail.
• Transporting: Transporting patients to a hospital or suspects to a station or jail.
• Treat and Release: Patient was treated at the scene by medical personnel and left at the scene.
• Tripple I: Interstate Identification Index (III). This is a national system that allows law enforcement agencies to access criminal history record information from multiple states and federal databases.

U

• U.I.B.C.: Unlawful Issuance of Bank Check.
• U.T.L.: Unable To Locate. Subject or situation is no longer there or hasn't been located.
• Unfounded: The reported situation was investigated but could not be verified or located.
• Unreadable: Radio transmission is unclear due to static or background noise.
• Unresponsive: Refers to a person who is not reacting to stimuli, such as voice commands, physical touch, or other forms of interaction.

V

• Vehicle Check: License plate check.
• Ventilate: The act of cutting a hole in the roof or breaking a window to let smoke out of a structure. (Fire)
• Ventilate: Assisting a patient to breath, usually with an Ambu Bag. (Medical)
• Ventilating: See Ventilate.
• Verbal: An argument or altercation that is currently limited to verbal exchanges, often involving yelling, and has not escalated to physical conflict.

W

• Wants on #: Officer is asking dispatch to check for any outstanding warrants on # of individuals."Wants on one" or "Wants on three", etc.
• Weapons Violation: Any illegal act involving a weapon, such as unlawful discharge, possession, or use of a firearm, often including reports of gunshots heard in the area.
• Welfare Check: Check the well-being of an occupant or subject.
• Wheels Down: The vehicle is resting on all four wheels (normal configuration).
• Wheels Up: The vehicle is resting on its top with the wheels towards the sky.
• Wires Down: Utility power lines are on the ground. Sometimes these can be sparking or on fire.
• WRAP Device: A full-body restraint system designed to safely immobilize individuals who are combative, resist arrest, or pose a danger to themselves or others.
• Wrecker: Tow Truck.
• Wreckless: A vehicle being operated with disregard for safety, often involving dangerous or irresponsible driving behavior.

X

Y

Z