7.8 Local Prowords and Radio Procedure

Purpose

To provide an overview of the local prowords and radio procedures in SA.

Overview

To align SLSSA procedures with other agencies to increase interoperability, improve efficiency, reduce the amount of air occupied by messages, make communications during incidents more efficient and create consistency during multi agency rescue.

Procedure

Proword	Notes
Send Used by all agencies	Meaning – Send your message (e.g. Glenelg Send)
More to follow Used by all agencies	Meaning - indicates a pause in transmission to allow the other station to confirm they are ready to receive more information SURFCOM – Report of a 5m shark sighting at your beach, more to follow SURF CLUB – Roger, send SURFCOM – Shark sighting is 100m off shore, 100m north of jetty
Over	May be omitted at the end of a transmission. The digital network has a beep at the end of all transmissions to indicate a transmission has finished.
Out	May be omitted at the end of a transmission. The digital network makes it clear a channel is occupied and natural language makes it clear when a conversation is complete. May still be used if the circumstances require it (e.g. extended transmissions). Will not be used by other agencies using SLSSA channels which may cause confusion. No longer used by some interstate lifesaving services.

Radio Procedure

Task	Variation	Radio Procedure (Example)
Establishing contact with SurfCom (or another station)	Remove “are you receiving” and shorten transmission. Replaced with universal procedure and proword used across all agencies	SURF CLUB	SurfCom, Glenelg Patrol
		SURFCOM	Glenelg Patrol Send
Requesting permission to contact another station	Shorten transmission	SURF CLUB	SurfCom, Glenelg, permission to speak to Glenelg IRB, over
		SURFCOM	Go ahead / send
SURF CLUB	Glenelg IRB, Glenelg Patrol, over