Scanner codes & radio terms

Medical response levels

Omega

The lowest medical level: a call that may not need an ambulance at all and can be referred elsewhere.

Alpha

A low-acuity medical call, such as a minor fall or a sick person who is alert. Usually a non-emergency response.

Bravo

A medical call one step above Alpha. Often still a non-emergency response.

Charlie

A more serious medical call that usually gets advanced life support (paramedics).

Delta

A serious, possibly life-threatening medical call. Fire units and paramedics usually respond with lights and sirens.

Echo

The most urgent medical level, for a patient who isn't breathing or is in cardiac arrest. The closest units are sent; "upgraded to Echo" means the patient got worse. More on Echo

Priorities

Priority 1

The most urgent response: lights and sirens. More on Priority 1

Priority 2

Urgent but not an emergency response; often no lights and sirens.

Priority 3

Non-emergency: respond when available at normal speed.

Med 1, Med 2, Med 3

Kent County fire dispatch's way of giving a medical call's priority, with Med 1 the most urgent ("Engine 52 on a Med 1"). More on Med 1, Med 2, Med 3

Unit status

En route

The unit is on its way to the call.

On scene

The unit has arrived.

Staging

Waiting a short distance away, usually until police say the scene is safe.

Transporting

An ambulance is taking the patient to a hospital.

Clear / available

Finished with the call and ready for another.

In quarters

Back at the fire station.

In service / out of service

Available (or not) for calls, for example while refueling or training.

Command

The officer in charge of a scene, named for the street or place: "Beltline Command" is the officer running a call on the Beltline.

Calls and findings

PI crash

Personal injury crash: someone may be hurt.

PD crash / PDA

Property damage crash: no injuries reported.

Unknown accident

A crash where the caller couldn't say whether anyone is hurt.

Lift assist

Helping someone who has fallen and can't get up, without other injuries.

Fire alarm activation

An automatic alarm went off; most turn out to be false alarms or cooking.

Water flow alarm

A sprinkler system is flowing water, which can mean a real fire or a broken pipe.

Working fire

Crews confirmed an actual fire, not just an alarm or smoke smell.

Nothing showing

First crew sees no smoke or fire from outside.

Second alarm

A request for a second full set of fire units for a large fire.

Knocked down

The main fire is out; crews keep working to make sure it doesn't restart.

Mutual aid

A neighboring department sending units to help.

ALS / BLS

Advanced life support (paramedics, who can give drugs and advanced care) or basic life support (EMTs).

Apparatus

Engine

A fire engine with water, hose and a pump; usually the first fire unit on any call.

Truck / Ladder

An aerial ladder truck for rescues and roof work.

Rescue / Squad

A unit carrying rescue tools and medical gear; in many townships it's the first medical responder.

Tanker / Tender

Carries extra water for areas without fire hydrants.

Medic

An ambulance staffed with paramedics.

Battalion / Chief

A chief officer's vehicle.

Brush truck

A smaller off-road unit for grass and wildland fires.

10-codes

10-codes differ from agency to agency, and many West Michigan agencies now use plain language instead; these are the common meanings.

10-4

Message received, understood.

10-7

Out of service.

10-8

In service, available.

10-9

Please repeat.

10-20

Location ("what's your 20?").

The radio system

MPSCS

The Michigan Public Safety Communications System: the state's shared digital radio network that most West Michigan police, fire and EMS agencies talk on.

P25

The digital radio standard MPSCS uses. A scanner must decode P25 (Phase II on MPSCS) to hear it.

Talkgroup

A channel on a digital trunked system. Each dispatch area or agency has its own; the system picks a free frequency for every transmission.

Trunked system

A radio system that shares a pool of frequencies between many talkgroups, so a scanner has to follow the control channel instead of sitting on one frequency.

Control channel

The data channel that tells radios which frequency each transmission is on.

Encrypted

A talkgroup scrambled so only agency radios can hear it. Many police talkgroups are encrypted; no scanner, app or website can hear them.

Call types

Dispatchers label every call with a short type. Here is what each one means in plain English, for the fire, EMS, crash and police calls shown on this site. A call type is the dispatcher's first description, taken from a 911 call: it can change once responders arrive, and many calls turn out to be less serious than they first sound.

Crashes and traffic

Abandoned vehicle

A vehicle left unattended on a road or shoulder. Police check it and may tag it to be towed.

Crash

A vehicle crash where dispatch didn't yet know if anyone was hurt. It often gets updated to a property-damage or injury crash once someone is on scene.

Crash (property damage)

A crash with damage to vehicles or property and no injuries reported. Police take a report and may direct traffic until the vehicles are moved.

Crash into building

A vehicle that hit a house, garage or other building. Firefighters check that the structure is safe, and a technical rescue team may be called to shore it up.

Debris on highway

Something in the roadway on a state highway, reported by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Deer salvage permit

After a car hits a deer, the driver can ask police for a permit to keep the animal. It usually means a car-deer crash with no injuries.

Disabled vehicle on highway

A vehicle stopped on a state highway or its shoulder, reported by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Fatal crash

A crash in which someone died. Roads are often closed for hours while investigators reconstruct what happened.

Highway crash

A crash on a state highway, reported by the Michigan Department of Transportation, usually with a lane or shoulder blocked.

Highway incident

Something affecting traffic on a state highway, reported by the Michigan Department of Transportation: often a crash, a stalled vehicle or debris, with one or more lanes or a shoulder blocked.

Hit-and-run crash

A crash where one of the drivers left without stopping or sharing their information. No injuries were reported.

Hit-and-run crash with injuries

A crash where someone was hurt and one of the drivers left the scene.

Injury crash

A crash where at least one person was reported hurt. Police, the fire department and an ambulance are usually all sent, and the road may be closed while they work.

Motorist assist

An officer helping a driver whose vehicle is stopped: a breakdown, a flat tire, running out of gas, or a car stuck in a ditch or snow. It isn't a crash and usually nobody is hurt, but the vehicle may be partly blocking the road.

Parking complaint

A report of a vehicle parked illegally or blocking a driveway, hydrant or road.

Traffic complaint

Someone called about a problem on the road: a driver weaving or speeding, a vehicle stopped in a lane, debris, or a signal that isn't working.

Fire

Arson investigation

Police or fire investigators looking into a fire that may have been set on purpose.

Fire

A fire that doesn't fit one of the usual types, such as a small outdoor, trash or equipment fire.

Fire alarm

An automatic fire alarm going off in a building. Most turn out to be false alarms, but the fire department checks every one.

Fire department assist

Firefighters helping another agency, such as police or an ambulance crew.

Fire department investigation

Firefighters checking on something reported as a possible problem, such as an odor, smoke in the area or an alarm sounding. Most turn out to be minor.

Fire department response

Fire or rescue units were heard on the radio heading to or arriving at a call in this town, but the dispatch itself wasn't received, so the type of call and its location aren't known.

Grass/brush fire

A fire in grass, brush, a field or woods.

Open burning complaint

A report of someone burning outdoors when or where it isn't allowed, or of smoke bothering neighbors.

Structure fire

A fire in a house, garage, barn or other building. Several fire departments are usually sent at once.

Vehicle fire

A car, truck or other vehicle on fire.

Vehicle fire on highway

A vehicle on fire on a state highway, reported by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Medical

Medical call

Someone needed medical help, from a fall to someone not breathing. The reason for the call isn't listed.

Police

911 hang-up

A 911 call that disconnected before the caller said what was wrong. Dispatch calls back, and an officer may be sent to check. Most are accidental dials.

Alarm

A security alarm going off at a home or business. Most are false alarms from a door, a pet or a mistaken code.

Animal bite

A report that an animal bit someone.

Animal complaint

A report about an animal: a loose or barking dog, livestock in the road, or an animal that may be hurt or neglected.

Assault

A report that someone was physically attacked or threatened with being attacked.

Assist to another agency

Officers helping another department, such as backing up a neighboring police agency or assisting firefighters or paramedics.

Boating complaint

A report about a boat: speeding in a no-wake zone, reckless operation or a boat adrift.

Bomb threat

A threat that a bomb is in a building or vehicle. The area is checked and almost all prove false.

Breaking and entering

A report that someone broke into a building, home, garage or shed.

Burglary alarm

A security alarm going off at a home or business. Most are false alarms from a door, a pet or a mistaken code.

Citizen assist

An officer helping a member of the public with something that isn't a crime, such as directions, a ride or a question.

Citizen or agency assist

An officer helping a member of the public or another department with something that isn't a crime.

Civil matter

A dispute that isn't a crime, such as a disagreement over property, money or child custody. Police can keep the peace but can't decide who is right.

Civil standby

An officer standing by to keep things calm while someone does something lawful, such as collecting belongings from a former home.

Court order violation

A report that someone broke a court order, such as a personal protection order.

Criminal complaint

A catch-all for a reported crime that doesn't fit another category on the dispatcher's list.

Damage to property

A report of property damaged, on purpose or by accident, such as a hit mailbox, fence or parked car. Police take a report for the owner and insurance.

Death investigation

Police responding to a death, which they do for any death outside a hospital. Most are from natural causes.

Disturbance

A report of people arguing, yelling or causing a scene, at a home or in public.

Domestic argument

A report of an argument between people who live together or are related, with no assault reported.

Domestic assault

A report that someone was assaulted by a partner, relative or household member.

Failure to pay

Someone leaving without paying, most often driving off from a gas pump or walking out on a restaurant bill.

Fight

A report of people fighting.

Fraud

A report of a scam, identity theft, a forged check or a stolen card number being used.

Harassment complaint

A report of repeated unwanted contact, in person, by phone or online.

Hunting or fishing violation

A report that hunting, fishing or other natural-resources rules were broken.

Intoxicated person

A report of someone who appears drunk or impaired and may need help or be a danger to themselves.

Larceny

The legal term for theft: property taken without force and without breaking in, such as items stolen from a yard, porch or unlocked car.

Liquor law violation

A report involving alcohol laws, most often underage drinking.

Littering

A report of trash being dumped or thrown from a vehicle.

Lockout

Someone locked out of a vehicle or building who asked for help.

Lookout broadcast

Dispatch telling officers to watch for a person or vehicle.

Lost or found child

A young child separated from a parent or caregiver, or found alone. These are usually resolved within minutes.

Lost or found property

A report of an item lost or found, such as a wallet, phone or bicycle.

Loud party

A report of a noisy party or gathering.

Missing person

A report that someone can't be located. Most missing people are found quickly.

Noise complaint

A report of loud music or other noise.

Officer-initiated activity

Something an officer started on their own, such as checking on a situation they noticed, as opposed to a call from the public.

Open door or window check

An officer checking a building found with a door or window open or unlocked, usually after hours.

Ordinance complaint

A report that a local rule is being broken, such as rules on junk vehicles, tall grass or fireworks.

Panic alarm

A hold-up or panic button pressed at a business or home. Most are set off by accident, but officers respond to each one.

Police activity

The city lists this code without saying what it covers. It appears to be a special or tactical assignment.

Prostitution complaint

A report of suspected prostitution or solicitation.

Public indecency

A report of someone exposing themselves or engaging in a lewd act in public.

Reckless driver

A caller reporting a driver weaving, speeding or driving dangerously. Officers try to find the vehicle; often it's gone by the time they arrive.

Robbery

Someone taking property from a person by force or threat, which is different from a burglary or theft where nobody is confronted.

Runaway juvenile

A report that someone under 18 left home without permission.

Sex offender registry check

A routine check that a person on the state registry lives where they are registered. It doesn't mean a new crime was reported.

Sex offense report

A report of a sexual offense.

Shooting

A report that someone was shot.

Shoplifting

Theft of merchandise from a store, also called retail fraud in Michigan.

Special detail

An assigned duty such as directing traffic at an event or extra patrol in an area.

Stabbing

A report that someone was stabbed.

Stalking complaint

A report that someone is being repeatedly followed, watched or contacted against their wishes.

Stolen vehicle

A car, truck, motorcycle or trailer reported stolen.

Stolen vehicle recovered

Police found a vehicle that had been reported stolen.

Suicidal person

Someone reported to be thinking about or threatening suicide. Police and often medics go to check on them. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988.

Suspicious person or vehicle

Someone called about a person or vehicle that seemed out of place. Most turn out to be nothing, such as a delivery driver or someone who was lost.

Threats complaint

A report that someone was threatened, in person, by phone, by message or online.

Traffic or person stop

An officer stopping a driver or a person on foot. The city's list logs every stop, so these are common and almost always routine.

Traffic stop

An officer pulling a driver over. Most traffic stops aren't listed; the ones that are usually involved something more than a routine stop.

Traffic violation

An officer handling a driving offense such as speeding, running a light or an expired plate, usually a stop that turned into more than a quick warning.

Transport

Officers taking someone from one place to another, such as to jail, court or a hospital.

Trespassing

Someone on property where they aren't allowed or refusing to leave when asked.

Vandalism

Property damaged on purpose, such as slashed tires, a broken window or a damaged mailbox. Michigan law calls it malicious destruction of property.

Vehicle inspection

An officer inspecting a vehicle, such as a required check of a rebuilt car or a commercial truck.

Vicious animal

A report of an aggressive animal threatening people or other animals.

Warrant service

Officers looking for or arresting someone who has a court-issued warrant.

Weapons or shots-fired complaint

A report of gunshots heard or of someone seen with a weapon. Many turn out to be fireworks, hunting or target shooting.

Welfare check

Someone asked police to check on a person they were worried about, such as a relative who hasn't answered the phone. Most end with the person found safe.

Hazards

Boating accident

A crash or other accident involving a boat. The Sheriff's marine patrol responds.

Carbon monoxide alarm

A carbon monoxide detector going off. Firefighters check the building with meters; a faulty detector is a common cause, but real leaks are dangerous.

Hazard

Fire crews sent to a hazard rather than a fire, such as a gas leak, a fuel spill or a tree on a road. Details weren't clear from the radio.

Wires down

Power, phone or cable lines on the ground or hanging low. Treat any downed wire as live and stay well away.