Post by 3105 on Nov 7, 2007 13:50:08 GMT -5
Here's a training exercise we did awhile back to illustrate the need for clear, concise radio communications.
First, the target audience is primarily firefighters; the reason being that since they don't often use the radios (and are the future officers), they need to figure out how to accurately communicate their message so that there are no misinterpretations.
Needed: Two portable radios set to OPS 2, two separate piles of miscellaneous fire equipment, such as an axe, a halligan, bunch of adaptors, nozzles...whatever is around as long as BOTH piles contain the same identical items.
The instructor takes one pile of equipment into an adjacent room and arranges the items anyway they want...fire axe leaning against wall with double female touching the pick end, halligan laid over adaptor so that adze end is sitting inside the adaptor...whatever crazy and confusing arrangement you can think of or actually do...it really doesn't matter....make it as wacky as you want.
One firefighter with a portable is brought into the room and placed in a chair about three feet away from the pile. The object here is for them to look at the pile, then using the radio, direct a group firefighters with portable radios in another room in duplicating the exact arrangement of what they see.
Sounds simple, yet it underscores the need for accuracy...as well as brevity, espeically if you impose time limits on the transmissions or the number of transmissions they are permitted to make. Additional learning objectives include "testing" the firefighters assembling the duplicate pile for their knowledge of tool locations on the trucks.
When the exercise is done, examine the two piles to see how close they came to duplicating the pile in the other room...if it isn't close, then talk about what was confusing or why something wasn't placed right..or worse yet, why the wrong item was used. Also use this as an opportunity to reinforce correct procedures how to make a transmission, minimize slang, being precise or illustrative when necessary, use of directional clues....point out too many "aahhs.." and the need to know what you're going to say before pressing the key.
First, the target audience is primarily firefighters; the reason being that since they don't often use the radios (and are the future officers), they need to figure out how to accurately communicate their message so that there are no misinterpretations.
Needed: Two portable radios set to OPS 2, two separate piles of miscellaneous fire equipment, such as an axe, a halligan, bunch of adaptors, nozzles...whatever is around as long as BOTH piles contain the same identical items.
The instructor takes one pile of equipment into an adjacent room and arranges the items anyway they want...fire axe leaning against wall with double female touching the pick end, halligan laid over adaptor so that adze end is sitting inside the adaptor...whatever crazy and confusing arrangement you can think of or actually do...it really doesn't matter....make it as wacky as you want.
One firefighter with a portable is brought into the room and placed in a chair about three feet away from the pile. The object here is for them to look at the pile, then using the radio, direct a group firefighters with portable radios in another room in duplicating the exact arrangement of what they see.
Sounds simple, yet it underscores the need for accuracy...as well as brevity, espeically if you impose time limits on the transmissions or the number of transmissions they are permitted to make. Additional learning objectives include "testing" the firefighters assembling the duplicate pile for their knowledge of tool locations on the trucks.
When the exercise is done, examine the two piles to see how close they came to duplicating the pile in the other room...if it isn't close, then talk about what was confusing or why something wasn't placed right..or worse yet, why the wrong item was used. Also use this as an opportunity to reinforce correct procedures how to make a transmission, minimize slang, being precise or illustrative when necessary, use of directional clues....point out too many "aahhs.." and the need to know what you're going to say before pressing the key.
