We tell companies to monitor, simply because a lot of the time, they don't.
Unnecessary radio traffic?? Come on...
FAST Truck is as simple as you can get it. No need to make it a 10-code.
We have an inhouse code for notifying other agencies.
As far as, "did you get your run??" or "are you responding??" that's just complacency taking over, instead of doing it the proper way.
"Attention, Engine XXX, Respond, (insert borough here) Telephone Alarm, Box 4652, Walk and Don't Walk for a fire in a private dwelling. Engine XXX, acknowledge."
Until you have been on a platform, and dealt with what we have had to deal with on a consistent basis. You don't know what is, or what isn't "unnecessary".