Cataldo and Atlantic EMS
Radio System
- Cataldo and Atlantic's new VHF system went into effect around the beginning of December 2006
- Note: Boston 1 is now Cataldo 4 (chair car use). Cataldo 2 is for future special operations.
| Channel | Frequency | PL Tone | Use |
| Cataldo 1 | 159.3450R | D263 | Ambulance Dispatch. |
| Cataldo 2 | 154.5050R | D263 | Misc Use |
| Cataldo 3 | 155.1600S | D047 | Talkaround |
| Cataldo 4 | 152.3975R | D263 | Chair Car |
| Atlantic 1 | 151.9100R | D311 | Ambulance Dispatch |
| Atlantic 2 | 155.3250S | 114.8 | Talkaround |
| Atlantic 3 | 155.1600S | D263 | Talkaround |
| Boston 2 | 151.7300R | D263 | Main Ambulance Dispatch channel |
| Boston 3 | 155.1600S | D132 | Talkaround |
Dedicated Units
Each municipality has a dedicated Cataldo EMS ALS unit and backup is provided by additional ALS and BLS units. The primary trucks are as follows:
- Somerville - P6 - 24hr ALS - Washington St Base
- Chelsea - P1 - 24hr ALS - Hawthorne St Base
- Revere - P5 - 24hr ALS - Brown Circle/American Legion Hwy Base
- Malden - P3 - 24hr ALS - Canal St Base
- Everett - P2 - 24hr ALS - Broadway Base
- Saugus - P8 - 24hr ALS - Walnut St/Rt. 1 Base (Dispatched by Atlantic Divison)
- Melrose - P4 - 24hr ALS - Melrose Fire HQ
Dedicated Atlantic EMS units for the City of Lynn, additional ALS/BLS used as backup when needed
- Medic 4 - 24hr ALS - High St Base
- Ambulance 14 - 24hr BLS - High St Base
- Ambulance 13 - 24hr BLS - North Franklin St Base
- Ambulance 12 - 16hr BLS Sunday-Thursday (9am-1am), 24hr Friday/Saturday - North Franklin St Base
- Ambulance 11 - 8hr BLS Monday-Friday (11am-7pm) - High St Base
Dedicated Atlantic EMS units for the City of Peabody, additional ALS/BLS used as backup when needed
- Medic 1 - 24hr ALS - Foster St Base
- Medic 2 - 24hr ALS - Foster St Base
- Medic 3 - 24hr ALS - Peabody Engine 7 Station
- Ambulance 15 -12hr BLS (7am-7pm) - Peabody Engine 3 Station
Dedicated Atlantic EMS units for the City of Salem, additional ALS/BLS used as backup when needed
- Medic 5 - 24hr ALS - Canal St Base
- Ambulance 16 - 24hr BLS - Canal St Base
Dedicated Atlantic EMS units for the Town of Marblehead, additional ALS/BLS used as backup when needed
- Medic 7 - 24hr ALS - Sewall St Base
Field Supervisors
- Cataldo and Atlantic Field Supervisors utilize non-transporting ALS vehicles and the call signs are assigned individually, prefaced by "S" followed by the individual number (3-32)
Signal Codes
Cataldo uses mostly number codes to signify different statuses, such as to and from a call.
- Priority 1: Critical Emergency
- Priority 2: Regular Emergency
- Priority 3: Transfer/Non emergency
- Signal 1: On the road/on the air
- Signal 2: At scene
- Signal 3: En route med facility (transporting)
- Signal 4: Arriving at med facility
- Signal 5: Still at the facility but available if needed
- Signal 6: Clear/available for next call
- Signal 7: Accident involving company vehicle
- Signal 8: Contact Dispatch or specified person/location
- Signal 9: Enroute to next call
- Signal 10: Violent PT on board
Facility Codes
Numbers are also used to signify different facilities. Here are the most used.
- 7 - BMC Harrison Ave
- 11 - Cambridge Hospital
- 22 - BMC East Newton
- 26 - Children's Hospital
- 64 - MGH Chelsea
- 78 - Somerville Hospital
- 88 - Whidden Hospital
- 101 - Lawrence Memorial Hospital
- 136 - Melrose Wakefield Hospital
- 137 - Mt. Auburn Hosptial
- 145- MGH Boston
- 153 - NEMC
Boston Division
Cataldo's Boston division operates out of a new base in Roslindale. The Boston division handles many contracts in Boston and surrounding areas. Most notably being their contracts with Beth Israel Hospital, the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, and Children's Hospital Boston. Much of the radio traffic heard will be transfer calls. This division also handles backup (along with other private companies) for the City of Boston. 11 Ambulances (normally 8 BLS and 3 ALS) and 6 chair car units can be heard on the Boston 2 main dispatch channel.
