Emergency Codes What are Hospital Emergency Codes Hospital

Emergency Codes

What are Hospital Emergency Codes? • Hospital Emergency Codes are used worldwide to advise staff of various kinds of emergency situations. • The use of codes is intended to convey essential information quickly and with a minimum of misunderstanding to staff, while preventing stress or panic among visitors to the hospital. • Hospital Emergency Codes are coded by colour; most Ontario hospitals use the same colour coding system

RED BLUE GREEN YELLOW ORANGE WHITE BLACK BROWN AQUA GREY PURPLE FIRE – close all doors; proceed to gathering place CARDIAC ARREST – code team will respond EVACUATION – follow evacuation protocols for patients, staff MISSING PATIENT – follow search protocol EXTERNAL DISASTER – receipt of mass casualties incoming VIOLENT/AGGRESSIVE PERSON – team responds BOMB THREAT – search using maps; report suspicious packages HAZARDOUS SPILL – report spill, team responds FLOOD LOSS OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES – follow departmental procedures HOSTAGE TAKING – or abduction; call 911 and work with police

Code Silver Is the use of or threat with a weapon (active shooter/killer)

Code Silver

Emergency Code Procedures Emergency Code Policies and procedures can be found: 1. On the SMGH Intranet main page UNDER Quick Links 2. At the “Emergency Preparedness Station” in your department

Intranet Home Page

Emergency Preparedness Station

How Do I Call a Code? Dial 888 on any internal telephone; this will notify switchboard

Things to Know… • Reference to all emergency codes is on your hospital ID badge • Fire drills are held monthly (proceed like it’s a real fire) • Other mock exercises are held throughout the year • Emergency Planning Committee reviews policies and develops mock exercises

The “Mock” Fire…

What if You are the First to Notice a Fire (Real or Not)? • Pull the closest fire alarm • Provide assistance to patients or those in danger • Notify Switchboard (ext. 888) • Provide your name, location and extent of fire • Close all doors • Extinguish fire if possible • Wait for further instructions

Code Red - Fire • If you hear a Code RED called and the fire is not in your area; you should: Discontinue regular work Close all doors Make sure patients and visitors are in their rooms Turn off all non-essential equipment and gases Assemble in your designated areas and wait for further instruction • Do not use elevators or telephones (unless absolutely necessary) • • •

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher P – pull the safety pin A – aim nozzle at the base of the fire S – squeeze the handles together S – sweep from side to side

Fire Alarm 1 st Stage: Bells at 60 strokes/minute, indicates fire 2 nd Stage: Bells at 120 strokes/minutes, indicates entire hospital is to be evacuated

Code Green-Evacuation • The Code GREEN policy outlines the procedures required to safely evacuate all patients, visitors, staff, and volunteers in a controlled manner. • The nature of the evacuation can vary from a partial to a total evacuation of the hospital.

4 Stages of Evacuation STAGE 1: LOCAL OR PARTIAL EVACUATION • If the fire occurs in a patient-occupied room, local or partial evacuation will be necessary STAGE 2: HORIZONTAL EVACUATION • If the fire occurs in a specific area of the hospital, horizontal evacuation will be necessary and will be carried out by all staff in the fire-affected area STAGE 3: VERTICAL EVACUATION • If, as the result of fire, all patients on a fire-affected floor are compromised or may be compromised as a result of the spread of smoke or fire or the fact that a fire-affected zone cannot be horizontally evacuated, vertical evacuation will be necessary. STAGE 4: TOTAL OR COMPLETE EVACUATION • If, as the result of fire, all patients on all floors are compromised or may be compromised, total evacuation will be necessary and will be carried out.

When to Evacuate? The alarm system is a two stage system (as mentioned previously) 1. The FIRST STAGE FIRE ALARM is a slow ring of the bells at 60 strokes per minute which indicates a fire. 2. The SECOND STAGE EVACUATION ALARM is a faster ring of the bells at 120 strokes per minute which will only be activated if the entire hospital needs to be evacuated. Total Evacuation If a total evacuation, off the property, is required; St. Mary’s has made arrangements with Huron Heights Secondary School and with Grand River Transit to relocate patients.