Thursday, December 14, 1995 01:00:44 Factoids Item From: Sylvia Feder,Medic One OnLine Henry Troup ,Internet Subject: Fwd: pseudo-FAQ Acronyms in Emergency Services To: Factoids Cc: Almost 800 lines ... More is not better! Corrections to items are always welcome, especially those with ? or ... in them. Some of these are from posts here. Email is preferred. I'm thinking of cleaning up some that were of temporary currency, for example WTC was widely used for a short time. (Check it out!) Henry AAA Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm AAA American Ambulance Association AAMS Association of Air Medical Services (US) AAOS American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons AAOx3 Awake, Alert, Oriented x 3 [person/place/time] AAP American Academy of Pediatrics AAT Australian Antarctic Teritory AB ABortion AB Alberta (province) (Canada) ABEM American Board of Emergency Medicine ABG Arterial Blood Gases ABP Always ? Precautions (possibly ? Bloodborne Pathogens) AC AnteCubital vein or fossa (IV) AC Anterior Cephalic vein ACD Active Compression-Decompression (CPR) ACEP American College of Emergency Physicians ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support ACOEP American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians ACRONYM A Contrived Reduction Of Nouns, Yielding Mnemonics ACS-COT American College of Surgeons - Committee on Trauma ACT Australian Capital Territory ACTES Australian Capital Territory Emergency Service (Australia) ADSU Automatic Distress Signal Unit A&E Accident and Emergency A&E Arts and Entertainment (US TV channel) AEA Ambulance Emergency Assistant (South Africa, after 1991) AED Automatic External Defibrillator AELS Advanced Endocrinological Life Support AEP ? AFA Advanced First Aid AFA Automatic Fire Alarm (or Automatic False Alarm) AFEM the Alliance for Fire and Emergency Management AFRS Aviation Fire and Rescue Service ( com ) AICD Automatic Implantable Cardioverter/Defibrillator AICD Automatic Internal Cardiac Defibrillator AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AIQ Available In Quarters AIS Accident Investigation Section (VICPOL) (Australia) ALI Automatic Location Identification/Address Location Identification (911) ALS Advanced Life Support ALSOB Alcohol Like Substance On Breath AMA Against Medical Advice AMA Ambulance Medical Assistant (South Africa, before 1991, = EMT-I) Ambo Ambulance Officer (Australia) AMI Acute Myocardial Infarction AMPA Air Medical Physician Association (US) AMR American Medical Response (private but large operator of EMS) ANI ? (also used to denote radio unit number identifiers.) ANI Automatic Number Identification (telephony/911) ANLS Advanced Neurological Life Support ANP Advanced Nurse Practictioner A/O Alert and Oriented A/O Ambulance Officer AO Ambulance Officer AO Apparatus Operator AOA American Osteopathic Association AOB Alcohol On Breath AOR Available On Radio AOS Arrived On Scene APCO Associated Public-safety Communications Officers APE Acute Pulmonary Edema APE Acute Pulmonary Embolism APE Apparatus, Personnel, and Equipment ARC American Red Cross ARC Australian Resuscitation Council ARCHIE Automated Resouce for Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation ARCS Australian Red Cross Society ARDA American Rescue Dog Association ARDS Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ? ARDS ... DaNang or shock lung ARES Amateur Radio Emergency Service AS American Samoa (US) as Auricle Sinistrus (Left Ear) ASHD Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease ASRT Alarm System Response Team ASTM American Society for Testing & Materials ASV Ambulance Service Victoria (Australia) ATF Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (US Government) ATLS Advanced Trauma Life Support ATS American Trauma Society au Right Ear AV Atrial Ventricular ? ... EKG showed 3rd degree AV block BA Breathing Apparatus BAC Basic Ambulance Course (South Africa, level 4 = EMT-A) BAC Blood Alcohol Content BATF Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (US Government) BBP Blood-Borne Pathogen BBS Bulletin Board System BC British Columbia (province) (Canada) BCAS British Columbia Ambulance Service BD BenzoDiazepine BEST Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications (Victoria Australia) BFB Bush Fire Brigade (Australia) BFBB Bush Fire Brigade Board (Western Australia) BID Twice Daily (as in meds) BIQ Back in Quarters BLEVE Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion BLM Bureau of Land Management (US) BLS Basic Life Support BLS Bureau of Labor Standards (Maine and others) BNAS Bell Neutral Answer Service (911 Ontario) BNTI Blind NasoTracheal Intubation B/P Blood Pressure BP Blood Pressure BRT Big Red Trucks BSN Bachelor of Science in Nursing BTLS Basic Trauma Life Support BTW By The Way (INTERNET) Bushie Member of Bush Fire Brigade (Australia) BVM Bag Valve Mask (Ambu Bag (tm)) BZD BenZoDiazepine CA California CA Canada CA Cancer CAAMS Commission on the Acreditation of Air Medical Services (US) CAAS Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (US) CABA Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus CABG Coronary Arterial Bypass Graft CAD Computer Aided Dispatch CAD Coronary Artery Disease CAEMS California Emergency Medical Services Mail List (Internet) CAMEO Computer Assisted Management of Emergency Operations CAOx4 Conscious, Alert, and Oriented x4 CAP Civil Air Patrol CAS Chemical Abstracts - usually CAS number (Hazmat) CAS Children's Aid Society (Ontario, Canada) CAT Computer Aided/Axial Tomography ? CB Citizen's Band, 27 MHz radio (US) CC Chief Complaint CCA Critical Care Assistant (Level 7 - Paramedic) CCRN Critical Care Registered Nurse CCU Cardiac Care Unit CCU Critical Care Unit CDC Centers for Disease Control (US government) CDF California Department of Forestry CEM Certified Emergency Manager CEN Certified Emergency Nurse CERB Central Emergency Reporting Bureau (911) CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liablity Act (US) (hazmat CET Certified Engineering Technician CEU Continuing Education Units (a metric, not an organization) CFA Country Fire Authority (Australia) CFR Certified First Responder CFR Code of Federal Regulations (US) CFR Crash Fire Rescue (airports) CFS Country Fire Service (South Australia) CHF Congestive Heart Failure CI ContraIndications (?) CIERA Canadian Industrial Emergency Response Association CIH Certified Industrial Hygienist CIS Commonwealth of Independent States (republics of former USSR) CIS Critical Incident Stress CISD Critical Incident Stress Debriefing CISM Critical Incident Stress Management CLI Call Line ID (seen from Australia) (telephony) CME Continuing Medical Education CMTI Community Medical Transport, Inc. CNA Certified Nurse's Aide CNID Calling Number Identification (telephony) CNN Cable Network News (TV) CNS CNS Central Nervous System CO carbon monoxide C/O Complains Of CO2 carbon dioxide COBRA Comprehensive Omnibus Budgetary Reconcilation Act (US law) COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease C/P Chest Pain CPAP Continuous Positive Airway Pressure CPR Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation CPREF California Prehospital Research and Education Foundation CRNA Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist CRT Cardiac Rescue Technician CRT Certified Radiology Technician/Technologist CRT Certified Rescue Technician CSF Cerebral Spinal Fluid CSPS Canadian Ski Patrol System CT Computerized Tomography CT Connecticut (US state) CTC Critical Trauma Care (Primarily New York State) CTD Close To Death CVA Cerebro-vascular Accident CXR ? (excluding the obvious technical limitations of CXR and lab values) CYA Cover Your (Anatomy) D5W Dextrose 5% in Water (IV) DAN Diver's Alert Network DC DisConnect D/C DisContinue DC District of Columbia (US) DE Delaware (US state) DEMC District Emergency Management Committee (Australia) DEMO District Emergency Management Officer (Australia) DES DiEthyl Stilbestrol DES Disaster and Emergency Services DFO Done Fell Out DIC Dead in Car Dip PEC Post-grad diploma for Dr in E.med eg.:MBChB.DipPEC DIVCON Divisional Controller (SES) (Australia) DKA Diabetic KetoAcidosis (diabetic coma) DMAT Disaster Medical Assistance Team DNI Do Not Intubate (similar to DNR) DNR Do Not Resuscitate DOA Dead On Arrival DOB Date Of Birth DOH Department Of Health DOT Department of Transport DOT Department of Transportation (US) DP Direct Pressure DPC Disaster Preparedness Commission (NYS) DPS Department of Public Safety DRT Dead Right There DSU Distress Signal Unit DUI Driving Under the Influence DWAI Driving While Ability Impaired DWI Driving While Impaired/Intoxicated Dx Diagnosis E000 Enhanced triple 0 (the Australian system for delivering number/address) E911 Enhanced 911 (the system that displays calling number and address) EARV Emergency Ambulance Response Vehicle ECA Emergency Care Assistant (South Africa Red Cross =EMT, for Volunteer) ECA Emergency Care Attendant ECC Emergency Co-ordination Centre (Australia) ECG Electro CardioGram ECIC Emergency Care Information Center (US) ECLIPS [Australian E000 database of customer address for emergency calls] ECRI Emergency Care Research Institute (US) ED Emergency Department EDNA Emergency Department Nurses Association EDP Emotionally Disturbed Person (same as MO) EEG ElectroEncephaloGram EENT Ears,Eyes,Nose And Throat EHS Emergency Health Services EHS Extremely Hazardous Substance (hazmat) EJ External Jugular ? (IV related) (next would have been an EJ....) EKG ElectroCardioGram (old, from German ElectroKardioGram) ELT Emergency Locator Transmitter ? (aircraft) EMA Emergency Management Agency (old Civil Defense) (US) EMA Emergency Management Australia (formerly NDO) (Australia) EMA Emergency Medical Assistant (Level 5 - currently being phased out) EMA Emergency Medical Attendant (Newfoundland,Canada) EMD ElectroMechanical Dissociation (cardiac) EMD Emergency Medical Dispatcher EMR Emergency Medical Response (Australia) EMS Emergency Medical Services EMS-C Emergency Medical Services for Children EMSI Emergency Medical Services Instructor EMT Emergency Medical Technician EMT-A Ambulance EMT-AD Automatic Defibrillator EMTALA ? (US law) EMT-B Basic EMT-CC Critical Care EMT-CT Cardiac Tech EMT-D Defibrillator EMT-I Intermediate EMT-M MAST (PA) EMT-P Paramedic EMT-ST Shock Trauma EMT-T EMT-Tactical EMT-W Wilderness EMT ENA Emergency Nursing Association EOC Emergency Operations Centre (Australia) EOH Ethyl Alcohol EPA Environmental Protection Agency (US) (hazmat) EPI EPInephrine ER Emergency Room ERP Emergency Room Physician ? ERS Emergency Response System ERT Emergency Response Team ESD Emergency Services Department (another term for ER) ESDA Emergency Services & Disaster Agency (previous name for EMA) ESN Emergency Service Number (911) ESOP Enhanced (or Expanded) Scope Of Practice ESU Emergency Service Unit ET EndoTracheal (tube) ETA Estimated Time of Arrival ETI EndoTracheal Intubation ? ETOH Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) ETT EndoTracheal Tube ETT Endotrachial Tube EVOC Emergency Vehicle Operation and Control EVS Emergency Vehicle Status (Australia) EW Emergency Ward FAA Federal Aviation Administration (US) FALN Fuerza Armada para Liberacion Nacional (Puerto Rican Liberation Army) FAQ Frequently Asked/Answered Questions (list) (INTERNET) FART Fire Alarm Response Team FAS First Aid Squad FB Foreign Body FD Fire Department FDA Food And Drug Adminstration (US) FDGB Fall Down Go Boom FDIC Fire Department Instructors Conference FDSOA ? FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency (US) FF Firefighter FHR Fetal Heart Rate FHT Fetal Heart Tones FL Florida (US state) FLSA Fair Labor Standards Act FLSA Fair LAbor Standards Act (Chapter 7, 29 U.S.C.) (US law) FM Federated States of Micronesia (US) FM Fire Marshall FM Frequency Modulated (radio) FOTS Food on the Stove FOTW Food on the Wok FPE Fire Protection Engineer FR Fire Resistive FR First Response/First Responder Fx Fracture GI Gastro-Intestinal GOA Gone On Arrival GOMER Get Out of My ER GPS Global Positioning System GRS General Radio Service, 27 MHz radio (Canada) GS Good Samaritan (law) GSW GunShot Wound GU Genito-Urinary GU Guam (US) HAI Helicopter Association International (US) HASE Health and Safety Education (Australian Red Cross) HASHD Hypertensive ArterioSclerotic Heart Disease HCFA Health Care Financing Administration (US Medicare) HEENT Head Eyes Ears Nose and Throat HEPA High Efficiency Particulate Air (filter/mask) HIV Human Immuno-deficiency Virus HR Heart Rate HTR Heavy & Tactical Rescue HVAC Harrison Volunteer Ambulance Corps (publish an email newsletter) HVAC Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning HVAC High Voltage Alternating Current Hx History HZ Hazard Zone IABP (critical care transport) Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump IAEP ? a union IAFC International Association of Fire Chiefs IAFF International Association of Fire Fighters IC Incident Commander I/C Instructor/Coordinator ICH Intra-Cranical Hemorrage (?) (... ICH that makes some people scream) ICP IntraCranial Pressure (bleeding) ICS Incident Command System ICU Intensive Care Unit ID Idaho (US state) ID Identify/Indentification IFSTA International Fire Service Training Association (US) IHS Indian Health Service (US) IL Illinois (US state) IM Intramuscular (injection) IMS Incident Management System IN Indiana (US state) IPPB Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing IT Instructor Trainer (one who trains instructors) IV IntraVenous IVPB IntraVenous Piggy Back IVT IntraVenous Technician (Another Maryland ideosyncracy) JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association JEMS Journal of Emergency Medical Services Johnnie Member of St. John Ambulance Association JOL Jaws of Life JRC Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs for EMT-P (US) K-9 canine KED Kendrick Extrication Device KTD Kendrick Traction Device KVO Keep Veins Open KY Kentucky (US state) LAS Lights And Siren LCON Local Controller (SES) (Australia) LDH Large Diameter Hose LE Law Enforcement LE Lower Extremities LEL Lower Explosive Limit (Hazmat) LEMC Local Emergency Management Committee (Australia) LEMO Local Emergency Management Officer (Australia) LEO Law Enforcement Officer LEPC Local Emergency Planning Committee (US) (hazmat) LHQ Local Headquarters (SES Australia) LLQ Left Lower Quadrant (abdomen) LMA Laryngeal Mask Airway LMP Last Menstrual Period LOC Level of Consciousness (in Glasgow scale) LOL Little Old Lady (affectionate) LPG Liquified Petroleum Gas LPM Litres Per Minute (oxygen) LPN Licensed Practical Nurse LR Lactated Ringers (IV solution) LRS Lactated Ringers Solution LSB Long Spine Board LUQ Left Upper Quadrant LZ Landing Zone LZ Landing Zone (aeromedical) MA Massachussets (US state) MAC Medical Advisory Committee (MD's who approve ALS Standing Orders) MACS Multi-Agency Coordination System MAE Moves All Extremities MAS Melbourne Ambulance Service (Australia) MAST Metro Arson Strike Team MAST Military Anti Shock Trousers MB Manitoba (province) (Canada) MBChB Medical Doctor (S.A. and most British ex-colonies) MCA Motor Car Accident (Australia) MCA Motorcycle Accident MCI Mass Casualty Incident MD Maryland (US state) MD Medical Doctor MDT Mobile Data Terminal(s) MELREF Melways Map Reference (Melbourne Australia) MERO Municipal Emergency Resource Officer (Australia) MERV Medical Emergency Response Vehicle MERV Medical Emergency Room Vehicle MFA Malicious False Alarm MFA Malicious False Alarms MFB Metro Fire Brigade (or it's Melbourne Fire Brigade) MH Marshall Islands (US) MHz MegaHertz, unit of frequency MI Michigan (US state) MI Myocardial Infarction MICA Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance MICN Mobile Intensive Care Nurse MICP Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic MICT Mobile Intensive Care Technician MICU Mobile Intensive Care Unit MMed Medical Specialist (S.A.) MMFB Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Australia) MN Minnesota MO Mental Observation (psych pt) MO Missouri MOE Ministry of the Environment (Ontario, Canada) MOH Ministry of Health MOI Mechanism Of Injury MP Northern Mariana Islands (US) MPDS Medical Priority Dispatch System MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging MS Morphine Sulfate MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet MSOTW Man Slumped Over The Wheel MVA Motor Vehicle Accident NAD No Acute Distress (Interchangable) NAD No Apparent Distress (Interchangable) NAEMSP National Association of EMS Physicians (US) NAEMT National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (US) NALS Neonatal Advanced Life Support NAS National Academy of Science(s?) (US) NASAR National Association for Search and Rescue NASEMSD National Association of State EMS Directors (US) NBC Nuke, Biological, Chemical NC Nasal Cannula NCEMSF National Collegiate Emergency Medical Service Foundation NCRC National Cave Rescue Commission NCSEMSTC National Council of State EMS Training Coordinators (US) NDipAET National Dipl. Ambulance & Emergency Tech (ZA, level 8 = paramedic) N.DipEC National Diploma in Emerg. Care (Paramedic, S.A., Natal and Transvaal) NDMS National Disaster Medical System (US) NDO National Disasters Organisation (Australia) NEMA National Emergency Management Association (US) NEMSA National EMS Alliance (US) NEMSPA National EMS Pilots Association (US) NENA National Emergency Number Association (9-1-1) NERT Nuclear Emergency Response Team (Canada) NEST Nuclear Emergency Search Team (USA) NF Newfoundland (province) (Canada) NFA National Fire Academy (US) NFIC National Fire Information Center NFIRS National Fire Incident Reporting System NFNA National Flight Nurses Association (US) NFPA National Fire Protection Association NFPA National Flight Paramedics Association (US) NHS National Health Service (UK) NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US) NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (US) NIUSAR National Institute for Urban Search & Rescue (US) NJ New Jersey (US state) NKDA No Known Drug Allergies NLM National Library of Medicine (US) NP Nurse Practitioner NPA Nasopharyngeal Airway NPO Nil Per Os (Nil per mouth) NPR National Public Radio (US Government) NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service (Australia) NR National Registry NRB Non-ReBreathing (mask) NRC National Research Council (US, Canada) NREMT National Registry Emergency Medical Technician test (US) NREMT Nationally Registered EMT (US) REMT is preferred NRFM Non-Rebreathing Face Mask NS Normal Saline (IV) NS Nova Scotia (province) (Canada) NSR Normal Sinus Rhythm NSRI National Sea Rescue Institute (S.A. volunteer sea rescue) NSW New South Wales (state) (Australia) NSWSES New South Wales State Emergency Service (Australia) NT Northern Teritory (Australia) NT Northwest Territories (territory) (Canada) NTES Northern Territory Emergency Service (Australia) NTG NiTroGylcerin NTSB National Transportation Safety Board (US) NVFC National Volunteer Fire Council NVOAD National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters NWT NorthWest Territories (territory) (Canada) NY New York (US state and city) NYC New York City NYS New York State (US state) O2 Oxygen OD Overdose OEM Office of Emergency Management OEMS Office of Emergency Medical Services OH Ohio (US state) OHSA Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ontario) OIC Officer in Charge OK Oklahoma (US state) OKC Oklahoma City (US) ON Ontario (province) (Canada) OPA Oropharyngeal Airway OPA ? (unconcious, no reaction to OPA or ... sternal) OPCS Organization de la Patrouille Canadienne de Ski OR Oregon (US state) os Occuli Sinistrus (Left Eye) OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USA) O-sign unresponsive person with mouth open and tongue still in mouth ou Right Eye PA Pennsylvania (US state) PA Physician Assistant PA-C Physician Assistant-Certified (there are UNcertified PAs??) PADI Professional Association of Diving Instructors PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support PAR Personnel Accountability Report PAS Personnel Accountability System PASG Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment PASS Personal Alert Safety System PAT Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia PAT Personnel Accountability Tag PATA Professional Aeromedical Transportation Association (US) PCR Patient Care Record/Report PD Police Department PDA Property Damage Accident (MVA w/out injuries) PDO Property Damage Only PE Physical Examination PE Prince Edward Island (province) (Canada) PE Pulmonary Edema PE Pulmonary Embolism PEA Pulseless Electrical Activity (cardiac) PEARL Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light PEARL Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light (discouraged) PEC Prehospital Emerg Care (S.A.Red Cross bridging course to ECA) PEI Prince Edward Island (province) (Canada) PERL Pupils Equal and Reactive to Light PERLA Pupils Equal and Reactive to Light and Accomodation PERRL Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light PERRLA Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light and Accomodation PERS Public Emergency Reporting System (911) PET Positron Emission Tomography PFO Pissed (drunk) and Fell Over (from Australia) PHTLS Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support PIA Personal Injury Accident (MVA involving injuries) PICU Pedeatric Intensive Care Unit PID Pelvic Inflammatory Disease PIO Public Information Officer PIPSTA Placed in Service Prior to Arrival PND Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea PNS Peripheral Nervous System PO Peace Officer PO Per os (by mouth) PO Police Officer POQ "Piss off quick!!!!" (Get out of a dangerous situation) (Australia) POST Peace Officer Standards of Training POV Privately Owned Vehicle PPE Personal Protective Equipment PR Public Relations PR Puerto Rico (US) PRN To take as needed (meds) PSAP Public Safety Answering Point (911) PSDP Public Safety Dispatch Point (911) PT Patient PTCA ? (The airway was secure ... until the PTCA was over) PVC Premature Ventricular Contraction PW Pressurized Water fire extinguisher QC Quality Control QC Quebec (province) (Canada) QC Quick Connect QID Four times daily (meds) QLD Queensland (Australia) (state) QR Quick Release QRS Quick Response Squad QRT Quick Response Team QRV Quick Response Vehicle QSES Queensland State Emergency Service (Australia) Q-sign unresponsive person with mouth open and tongue hanging out RACES Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services - amateur radio in EMA RAPID Railroad Accident Prevention and Immediate Deployment (CA US) (hazmat) RAR Road Accident Rescue (Australia) RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (US) (hazmat) REACT Radio Emergency Association Communications Team International (US) REMT Registered EMT (NREMT) RERB Remote Emergency Reporting Bureau (911) RFDS Royal Flying Doctor Service (Australia) RFS Rural Fire Service RI Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (US state) RL Ringer's Lactate (IV) RLAS Red Lights And Siren(s) RLAS Red Lights And Sirens RLQ Right Lower Quadrant RLS Red Lights & Sirens RLSSC Royal Life Saving Society Canada RM Rescue Medic (South Africa) RMA Refuse[s] Medical Assistance RN Registered Nurse RNA Registered Nursing Assistant RNLI Royal National Lifeboat Institution (U.K.) RO Radio Officer ROT Rule Of Thumb RP Reporting Party RQ Reportable Quantity (hazmat) RS Rescue Squad RSD Reflex Sympathetic Disorder RSI Rapid Sequence Induction RT Respiratory Therapist RTA Road Traffic Accident (seen from UK) RUQ Right Upper Quadrant Rx Prescription Rx Prescription SA South Australia (state) SABA Supplied Air Breathing Apparatus SAED SemiAutomatic External Defibrillator SAEM Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (US) SaO2 O2 SAturation.... ie pulse oximetry SAR Search And Rescue SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (US) (hazmat) SASES South Australia State Emergency Service (Australia) SC South Carolina (US state) SC Subcutaneous SCAT ? used to refer to brush fire fighting trucks SCAT Special Casualty Access Team (Australia) SCBA Self Contained Breathing Apparatus SCUBA Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus SE ? (names, indications, SE, CI, and...) SERC State Emergency Response Committee (US) (hazmat) SES State Emergency Service (Australia) SES State Emergency Services SFM Simple Face Mask SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIMS Standardized Incident Management System SITREP Situation Report SK Saskatchewan (province) (Canada) SLASA Surf Life-saving Association of South Africa SLUD Salivation, Lacrimation, Urination, Defecation (pesticide poisoning) SMO Standard Methods of Operation ? ...Pop quizes on system SMOs Smokie Firefighter (Australia) S/O Station Officer (Australia) SOB Shortness Of Breath SOG Special Operations Group (VICPOL) (Australia) SOG Standard Operating Guidelines SOP Standard Operating Procedure SQ Subcutaneous (pronounced subQtaneous, more common of the two) S/S Signs and Symptoms SSM System Status Management SSM System Status Manager SSN Social Security Number SSO Senior Station Officer ST Sinus Tachycardia (?) (Straight from ST to asystole.) SUNY State University of New York SVT Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia Sx Surgery Sx Symptoms/Signs TA Traffic Accident TAS Tasmania (Australia) TB Tuberculosis TBF Total Body Failure TC Traffic Collisions (preferred to TA by POST) TCA TriCyclic Antidepressants TDG Transport of Dangerous Goods TIA Technical Interim Amendment (NFPA) TIA Transient Ischemic Attack (mini-stroke) TICK Teamwork, Integrity, Courage, Knowledge TID Three Times Daily (meds) TKO To Keep Open TM Tympanic Membrane TMB Too Many Birthdays TMU-A Technicien Medical d'Urgence - Ambulance TOG Traffic Operations Group (VICPOL) (Australia) TOP Topically TPQ Threshold Planning Quanity (hazmat) TPR Temperature, Pulse, Respirations T&R Treat and Release TRI Toxic Release Inventory (US) (hazmat) TRO Time Ran Out TSCA Toxic Substance Control Act (US) (hazmat) TSES Tasmainian State Emergency Service (Australia) Tx Treatment Txp Transport UCR Uniform Crime Reporting (system) UEL Upper Explosive Limit (hazmat) UHF Ultra High Frequency (radio) UMBC University of Maryland Baltimore County US United States USA United States of America USAF United States Air Force USFA US Fire Administration USFS United States Forest Service USLA United States Lifesaving Association UT Utah (US state) VA Veteran's Administration (US Government) VA Virginia (US state) VAC Volunteer Ambulance Corps VAD Voluntary Aid Detachment (Red Cross) (Australia) VASC Voluntary Aid Service Corps (Red Cross) (Australia) VAVRS Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads VDT Video Display Terminal VF Ventricular Fibrillation VFD Volunteer Fire Department V-fib Ventricular Fibrilation VHF Very High Frequency (radio) VHQ Victorian State Headquarters (SES Australia) VI Virgin Islands (US) VIC Victoria (Australia) (state) VICPOL Victoria Police (Australia) VICSES Victoria State Emergency Service (Australia) VPB Ventricular Premature Beat VPC Ventricular Premature Contraction VRA Voluntary Rescue Association (Australia) VRS Volunteer Rescue Squad VRT Vertical Rescue Technician (Australia) VSA Vital Signs Absent WA Washington (US state) WA Western Australia (state) WADEM World Assn for Disaster & Emerg. Medicine WADEM World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine WAFBB WA Fire Brigades Board WASES Western Australia State Emergency Service (Australia) WD Warm/Dry WEMT Wilderness EMT WFS Women in the Fire Service, Inc. WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (hazmat) (Ontario) WI Wisconsin (US state) WO wide open (?) (IV) WPD Warm, Pink, Dry (skin signs) WTC World Trade Center WV West Virginia (US state) WWW World Wide Web (INTERNET) YMMV Your Mileage May Vary (INTERNET) Y/O year-old YT Yukon (territory) (Canada) ZA South Africa (INTERNET domain) ok...here are the acronyms you shouldn't use on your PCR's: BOHICA Bend Over Here It Comes Again ;) BTFOM Beats The F* Outta Me BTHFOM Beats The Hairy F* Outta Me BTW Balls To the Wall BWS Beached Whale Syndrome CCFCCP Coo Coo For CoaCoa Puffs CHAOS Chief has Arrived on the scene CPR Come Put-em-ta Rest CRAFT Can't Remember A F___ing Thing CRS Can't remember shit CTD Circling The Drain (see: Close To Death) CYA Cover your ass DFU Done F**ked Up DICCOMNAVAB Dictionary of Common Naval Abreviations (US Navy) DIN Dispatcher Is (going) Nuts - too many alarms DIRTBAG Dirty Indigent Requesting Transport Because Alchohol Gives (him) seizures DRT Dead Right There DRTTTT Dead Right There, There, There, and There (used after pedestrian/train altercations) DWO Driving While Oriental FD fu**ing drunk FIBD Found In Bed Dead FORD Found On Road Dead FUBAR Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition GOMA Get out of My Ambulance GSH Giant Sweat Hog HIF Hysterical Italian Family (Can be interchangable) HMFIC Head Mother Fucker in Charge IBM Incredible Barfing Man IDM it don't matter IJADAD I'm Just A Dumb Ambulance Driver (Used in court after a bad call, "I was driving, I didn't even touch the pt) JFA Jive Funk Attack or Just F**king Around LASGLH Lights and sirens, go like hell MAGGOT Medically Able, Go get Other Transportation MICN May I interupt (your) Call Now Noddy affectionacte term for security guards (big ears, silly hats!) (UK) NTID Non traumatic Injury, dumbass! PD Pretty Drunk PIA Pain In the ass PIM patient is mangled PITA Pain In The ass PST Positive Samsonite Tendencies, as in the pt. greets you at the door with suitcase in hand PUHA Pick up Haul ASS! SHPOS Sub Human Piece Of Shit SNAFU Situation Normal, All Fucked Up. SOI Shit On It SOL Shit Outta Luck Squirrel a zealous firefighter -- Henry Troup - hwt@bnr.ca (Canada) - BNR is not committed to anything I say "I wanted to be a neo-deconstructivist, but my mom wouldn't let me" ----Internet Header Follows---- Path: dbug.org!nwfocus1.wa.com!nwnews.wa.com!uw-coco!uw-beaver!uhog.mit.edu!netnews.com!udel!gatech!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in1.uu.net!utcsri!utnut!nott!bcarh189.bnr.ca!bcarh8ac.bnr.ca!bcarh8ab.bnr.ca!hwt From: hwt@bnr.ca (Henry Troup) Newsgroups: misc.emerg-services Subject: pseudo-FAQ Acronyms in Emergency Services Followup-To: poster Date: 30 Nov 1995 22:31:21 GMT Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada Lines: 808 Message-ID: <49lbbp$r67@bcarh8ab.bnr.ca> Reply-To: hwt@bnr.ca NNTP-Posting-Host: bcarhd7b.bnr.ca