Emergency service response codes are predefined systems used by emergency services to describe the priority and response assigned to calls for service. Response codes vary from country to country, jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and even agency to agency, with different methods used to categorize responses to reported events.
United States
In the United States, response codes are used to describe a mode of response for an emergency unit responding to a call. They generally vary but often have three basic tiers:
Code 3: Respond to the call using lights and sirens.
Code 2: Respond to the call with lights only (rarely allowable by state statutes)
Code 1: Respond to the call without lights or sirens.
Some agencies may use the terms "upgrade" and "downgrade" to denote an increase or decrease in priority. For example, if a police unit is conducting a Code 1 response to an argument, and the dispatcher reports that the argument has escalated to a fight, the unit may report an "upgrade" to a Code 3 response. The term downgrade may be used in the opposite situation.
A similar variation, generally used by units instead of dispatchers, is to "increase code" and "reduce code". For example, if multiple units are responding Code 3 to a call, but the units already at the scene have mostly resolved the situation, the scene units may request that the responding units "reduce code". In this example, to "reduce code" would mean to continue responding, but at Code 2 or Code 1, rather than discontinue altogether.
Multiple analyses link “Code 3” operations with crashes involving responders. Accurate use of protocols establishing the priority of various cases is critical. The standard for emergency dispatcher training is becoming very high.
Some emergency medical services - (EMS) dispatch agencies use "Priority" dispatching to establish the urgency of a given request for service, or ”call”. They ask the caller a series of questions to establish how urgently help is required. They ask: is the patient alert? Talking? Breathing? The answers help establish who needs to respond and the priority of the response.
Priority 1: Life-threatening emergency
Priority 2: Non-life-threatening emergency
Priority 3: Routine unscheduled call
Priority 4: Routine scheduled call
National Shift to “plain language”
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) states "it is required that plain language be used for multi-agency, multi-jurisdiction and multi-discipline events, such as major disasters and exercises", and federal grants became contingent on this beginning fiscal year 2006.[1] NIMS also strongly encourages the use of plain language for internal use within a single agency.
Plain language avoids confusion resulting from varying meanings assigned to different codes.
Historically “10-codes” and “signal codes” were used when radios were less reliable and frequent repetition was required. These codes were rarely uniform even between local agencies. Most used “10-4” to mean “acknowledged”, for example, but some agencies used it as “message ends”. A “Signal 30” could be a fatal car crash or any death, depending on local usage.
Plain language helps ensure critical clarity in emergencies. It is the clear standard.
The use of lights and sirens is up to the individual police officer driving to the call. The nature of the call is an aggravating factor when deciding when to use them. Calls are graded by either the control room direct (in the case of emergency calls) or by some sort of first contact centre (nonemergency calls). Grading is affected by such factors as the use or threat of violence at the incident being reported. Even though the grading is done by the control room, officers can request an incident be upgraded if they feel in their judgement they are needed immediately. They can also request to downgrade an incident if they feel they cannot justify using emergency equipment like blue lights and sirens.
There is no nationally agreed call grading system with a number of different systems being used across the UK and attendance times given the grade varies between forces, depending on how rural the county is. For example, Suffolk Constabulary break down Grade A emergencies into further sub-categories of Grade A Urban and Rural, with Urban attendance times attracting a 15-minute arrival time and Grade A Rural attendance would attract a 20-minute arrival time. Some of these are listed below but is not exhaustive.[2]
Grade
Meaning
Audible and visible emergency equipment
Target time
A
Immediate response call
Use advisable
8 minutes
B
Significant call, routine call
Can be used if driver thinks police are needed immediately
20 minutes
C
extended call, Scheduled appointments
Not to be used
No time limit
D
Non-attendance
Not to be used
Non-attendance
Resolved
Non-attendance
Not to be used
Call is resolved at point of contact.
Another variant in use within the UK.
Grade
Meaning
Audible and visible emergency equipment
IM
Immediate Priority
Normally used, examples of incidents graded as an immediate priority include incidents in which life is at risk, there is serious injury (or risk of), serious road traffic collisions, and where serious crime is in-progress or has just taken place.
H
High Priority
Normally used - incidents graded high are of serious nature and have the potential to develop into immediate priority incidents
N
Normal Priority
Not used - incidents are graded as normal that do not depend upon a timely police response.
L
Low Priority
Not used - incidents graded as low that do not depend upon a timely police response and may be resolved by phone or pre-arranged appointment.
All available officers on radio frequencies respond.
State 1
Emergency response
Road traffic exemptions usually utilised as is audible and visual warning equipment.
State 2
Urgent response
Road traffic exemptions may be utilised along with audible and visual warning equipment.
State 3
Non-urgent response
Audible and visual warning equipment is not used.
State 4
Appointments
Audible and visual warning equipment is not used.
State 5
For information only
Calls not usually requiring police attendance that may be logged for information only.
State 6
On Scene
Officer On Scene of incident. Update information when necessary.
Ambulance responses in the UK are as follows. Some ambulance services allow driver discretion for Category 3/4 calls; this may be dependent on the type of call or how long it has been waiting for a response for. 999 calls to the ambulance service are triaged using either the NHS Pathways system or the Medical Priority Dispatch System.
The use of flashing lights and sirens is colloquially known as blues and twos, which refers to the blue lights and the two-tone siren once commonplace (although most sirens now use a range of tones). In the UK, only blue lights are used to denote emergency vehicles (although other colours may be used as sidelights, stop indicators, etc.). A call requiring the use of lights and sirens is often colloquially known as a blue light run.
Australia
Code 1: A time critical case with a lights and sirens ambulance response. An example is a cardiac arrest or serious traffic accident.
Code 2: An acute but non-time critical response. The ambulance does not use lights and sirens to respond. An example of this response code is a broken leg.
Code 3: A non-urgent routine case. These include cases such as a person with ongoing back pain but no recent injury.
Country Fire Authority
There are two types of response for the Country Fire Authority which cover the outer Melbourne Area. These are similar to those used by Ambulance Victoria, minus the use of Code 2.
Code 1: A time critical event with response requiring lights and siren. This usually is a known and going fire or a rescue incident.
Code 3: Non-urgent event, such as a previously extinguished fire or community service cases (such as animal rescue or changing of smoke alarm batteries for the elderly).
New South Wales
Marine Rescue NSW
Code 1 Urgent Response - Use warning devices
Code 2 Semi Urgent Response - Use of Warning devices at skippers discretion
Code 3 Non Urgent Response - Warning Devices not needed
Code 4 Training - No Warning devices to be used unless specifically needed for training
Proceed: To drive to an incident, without displaying lights and/or sirens and to obey all road rules.
Respond: To drive to an incident, urgently but safely, whilst displaying lights and/or sirens. Drivers are exempt from the road traffic act with some conditions,[6] however both organisations have policies imposing further restrictions. The siren can be switched off at the discretion of the driver when it is not needed (for example, when the road ahead is clear of traffic and easily visible) and reactivated at possible traffic hazards.
The New South Wales Police Force uses two distinct classifications for responding to incidents. In order to respond 'code red' a driver must be suitably trained and have qualified in appropriate police driver training courses.[7]
Code Red: Vehicle responding with lights and sirens activated.
Code Blue: Vehicle responding without lights or sirens activated.
All calls are routed through the Metropolitan Fire Service (Call Sign "Adelaide Fire") including State Emergency Service 132 500 calls.
During significant weather events the State Communication Centre (SCC) unit of the SES take over call taking responsibly. This operations centre is staffed by volunteers routing calls for assistance to the closest unit who will dispatch the events to individual teams.
Code 1 - Immediate risk of death to a person. Proceed lights and sirens. Permission granted to disobey road rules.
Code 2 - Immediate risk of serious injury to a person or damage to property. Proceed lights and sirens. Permission granted to disobey road rules.
Code 3 - Routine job. Proceed without lights or siren. Road rules must be obeyed.
Code 4 - Negotiated response time. Proceed without lights or siren. Road rules must be obeyed.
For Queensland Police code 1 and code 2 are exactly the same response time. Rarely will a job be given a priority code 1, instead officers will (in most cases) be told to respond code 2.
Priority 0 represents an Emergency call when there's an immediate threat to life, such as an incident requiring resuscitation.
Priority 1 represents an Emergency call. (Response time target is to attend to 90% of emergency calls within 15 minutes)
Priority 2 represents an Urgent call. Use of lights authorised and siren allowed only when passing through heavy traffic and clearing intersections. (Response time target is to attend to 90% of urgent calls within 25 minutes)
Priority 3 represents a Non-urgent call. (response time target is to attend to 90% of non-urgent calls within 60 minutes) ..
The Western Australia Police Force uses the following Priority codes from 1 to 6 to determine the urgency of Police response:
Priority 1 or P1 is imminent threat to life or very serious incidents. Lights and siren authorised and an exemption from all road traffic laws. An example of a P1 call would be an active armed offender, pursuit or an officer requiring immediate assistance. This is the least common priority used, as most urgent calls fall under the Priority 2 category. The KPI for attendance of P1's is 12 minutes.
Priority 2 or P2 is an urgent emergency call with risks of serious injury or damage to property. Lights and siren authorised and an exemption from all road traffic laws. An example of a P2 call is a high risk family violence incident, urgent welfare check, out of control gathering or a serious vehicle crash. The KPI for attendance of P2's is 12 minutes.
Priority 3 or P3 is a routine call, no lights or sirens to be used unless authorised, Police to follow all traffic and road rules. An example of a P3 call is a disturbance, stealing/shoplift or sudden death. The KPI for attendance of P3's is 60 minutes.
Priority 4 or P4 is a less urgent routine call, no lights or sirens to be used, Police to follow all traffic and road rules. An example of a P4 call is a reattendance of a job that was of a higher priority, arrest attempts or neighbourly dispute. The KPI for attendance of P4's is 24 hours.
Priority 5 or P5 is a job that has been set for supervisor review. Various jobs may require a person of the rank of Acting Sergeant or higher to review the completed job.
Priority 6 or P6 is a job set for attendance at a station or unit level. Jobs set at this priority are for the Officer in Charge of the station or unit to manage at their discretion. An example of a P6 call is community outreach, patrols or property to collect. The KPI for attendance of P6's is 30 days.
Fire Call is the response that authorises lights and sirens, and disobeying road laws within reason. This is the response for most calls, including bushfires and road crashes.
Normal Road is the second response that requires the appliance to follow road regulations and not use emergency lights and siren. This code is rarely used for initial responders, but is given to further appliances if the incident doesn't require immediate assistance. This is also the only code that the State Emergency Services are authorised to respond with.
British Columbia, Canada
BC EHS Clinical Response Model implemented as of May 30, 2018 by BC Emergency Health Services, updating how they assign paramedics, ambulance and other resources to 9-1-1 calls.
[11]
Colour
Patient Condition
Details
Additional Resources
Purple
Immediately life threatening
Eg. Cardiac Arrest
Fire Immediately dispatched
Red
Immediately life threatening or time critical
Eg. Chest Pain
Fire Immediately dispatched
Orange
Urgent
Potentially serious, but not immediately life threatening (Eg. Abdominal Pain)
Fire may be dispatched
Yellow
Non-urgent
Not serious or life threatening. (Eg. Sprained Ankle)
Green
Non-urgent
Not serious or life threatening. Possibly suitable for treatment at scene. NOT Being implemented immediately
Blue
Non-urgent
Not serious or life threatening. Further clinical telephone triage and advice Referrals to HealthLink BC (8-1-1 calls)
