Helispot / LZ Identification / 9 Line
(Rev 2, 07/06/2019)
What 100m grid square do I need to land the helicopter in? That is all the Marshaller or Incident Commander needs to ask. To find the answer, look at daily use gridded maps, or look at gridded CAD/MDT displays or look at multiple free web tools, or open web browser apps USNGAPP.org or FindMeSAR.com . Are your maps interoperable and properly configured? See FFCA position statement linked here.
What grid? Ans. Well, US National Grid, of course. The land SAR standard since 2011. It is effectively the same coordinate system the military has used since 1949 and which the DoD Joint Chief’s of Staff designated that shall be used by military aircraft supporting ground operations in 2007.
But, is it 2018, surely this is well implemented by now? Well, no, it is not. Instead, marshallers, ground contacts or ICs may advise LZ / helispots locations by common name (Jone’s Ball Park) or street address(123 Main Street) or one of three versions of Latitude & Longitude. Yet, a 100m x 100m grid square, by the nation’s standard grid can be as few as just six(6) digits, when truncated for local operations.
Example: worldwide coordinate of 17R NM 1635 4785 can be truncated both from the left and right down to 163 478, which is the 100 meter square area. Yes, your local and regional medical helicopters will have it in their GPS receivers as either Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) or as US National Grid.
Despite the numerous justifications linked here, fire-rescue, EMS, law enforcement & helicopter operators basically refuse to use something that is easier, quicker and more specific at the same time. It is a leadership issue.
Though issued in 2012, prior to existence of USNGAPP.org and FindMeSAR.com, this document: bit.ly/airops2012 has more examples and references.
US National Grid (USNG) has a rule of “right, then up” which is how locations are plotted or read from a map. A map without a grid is just a picture; a gridded map is a tool. Free web tools can be placed on dispatch consoles and free applications or websites can be on any user’s smart phone.
Anyone can be a USNG user in (15) seconds; perhaps the next time a helicopter needs to be summoned this information will be considered.
For more information see these websites;
a) USNGFlorida.org & b)USNGFlorida Medium or map tool c) http://bit.ly/USNG-GISsurfer
Finally, consider how important six(6) digits can be. Always remember 362 880 !!
Rev 1: 9- Line Medical Evacuation Request
The base article above assumes standard 9–1–1 type incident with a PSAP receipt of a call for service with a dispatch and response of typical fire-rescue/EMS apparatus. However, there may be times when the request for service is not 9–1–1 based and may include the request for a helicopter initially due to incident location. In such a a case there is standard for that called: 9-Line.
Simple internet search though shows different versions of what the 9 lines are. So, here are two resources;
a) NWCG Document # PMS 461 Incident Response Pocket Guide. See pages 108–109
b) US Military, Document #351655, Appendix J, see all pages, but chart is on page 3 (J-3)
Revision 2, 07–06–2019
