What does 10-85 mean?

• A. Arrived at scene
• B. Standby
• C. En route
• D. Finished/clear

Answer: (C)

Ten-codes are concise radio messages used to speed up communication during responses. They let the dispatcher know your status without lengthy messages. The message that means you’re on your way to the incident is en route. Being en route communicates to the team that you are traveling to the scene and have not yet arrived, which helps coordinate arrival times and resource deployment. Arrived at scene would be a later status after you reach the location; standby means you’re waiting for further instructions; finished/clear means you’ve completed the assignment or cleared from the scene. So, 10-85 is en route. Keep in mind some agencies use different codes, so always verify local codes in your department’s training materials.