Specifications

Emergency telephone call
When an emergency call is received by telephone it has absolute priority over all
other transmissions. It is to be treated seriously and all essential actions taken with
this in mind.
The same information should be considered by the radio operator during the
emergency telephone call as all other emergency calls (as previously discussed).
Transmit on HF and VHF and inform all users an emergency call has been received
by telephone and have them standby in case assistance is required.
The person requesting assistance is in a perilous situation, radio procedures may
not be correctly adhered to. They may shout over the radio, the speed of their
speech may increase, and communications with them may become difficult. This is
due to their situation and stress levels.
Important points to remember:
Once a radio operator has received the emergency call and passed the information
onto the relevant authorities, they should attempt to calm the caller by using various
techniques.
• Inform the caller assistance is being organised.
• Let them know when help has departed and on its way to the scene.
• Keep the caller informed of developments, but NEVER provide false hope.
• Keep the telephone line open and attempt to identify an alternative means of
communications (radio, mobile, sat phone etc).
For example never say help is on its way if it is not. Only transmit the actual facts
when they are provided to you. False hope can kill.
Be aware your own stress levels will rise due to the nature of the situation you are in.
This is a normal reaction and not a weakness. It is important radio operators perform
to the best of their ability during emergency situations. To assist you in this
• Take a deep breath.
• Have a glass of water close by and most importantly.
• Focus on the task at hand. By remaining as calm as possible will assist those
who are in need of assistance.
Radio Operators Training Manual Version 27/11/2007 60