A
AAO
Awake, Alert, and Oriented, sometimes abbreviated as A&O (Alert & Oriented) or CAO (Conscious, Alert, and Oriented). Typically used by medical personnel with X[1-4] to indicate if oriented to person, place, time, and event.
Actor
One who takes part; a participant. Defined by the state of Pennsylvania as "includ[ing], where relevant, a person guilty of an omission."
AED
Automatic External Defibrillator
ALS
Advanced Life Support — Consists of invasive life-saving procedures including the placement of advanced airway adjuncts, intravenous infusions, manual defibrillation, electrocardiogram interpretation, and much more.
AMA
Against Medical Advice
Ambulate
Walk; move about.
B
BLS
Basic Life Support — Consists of essential non-invasive life-saving procedures, such as CPR, bleeding control, splinting broken bones, artificial ventilation, and basic airway management.
BOLO
Be On the LookOut
C
CHF
Congestive Heart Failure — condition in which the heart is an inadequate pump, causing fluid to build up in the lungs (pulmonary edema) and venous system (distended neck veins)
CO
Carbon Monoxide
CVA
Cerebrovascular Accident — a stroke, is a condition that results from a disruption of circulation to the brain, causing ischemia and damage to brain tissue
D
DOB
Date Of Birth
DRE
Drug Recognition Expert — a police officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol
E
EtOH
Ethyl alcohol
F
G
GOA
Gone On Arrival
GPA
General Police Alarm
GSW
Gun Shot Wound
H
I
J
K
L
LOC
Loss of Consciousness
M
MI
Myocardial Infarction — condition in which part of the heart muscle (myocardium) dies because of inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. Also called a heart attack.
MVA
Motor Vehicle Accident
N
Nitro
Short for nitroglycerin
O
OIC
Officer In Charge
P
Q
QRS
Quick Response Service — Fire department unit designed to handle EMS calls
R
RIT
Rapid Intervention Team — a team of firefighters dedicated to the search and rescue of other firefighters in distress.
S
Syncope
brief lapse in consciousness
T
TIA
Transient Ischemic Attack — a stroke-like neurologic deficit that completely resolves within minutes to hours; also called a mini-stroke
TIC
Thermal Imaging Camera