<Ul> <Li> In 2000, the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) determined that a uniform code system is needed after "three persons were killed in a shooting incident at an area medical center after the wrong emergency code was called ." While codes for fire (red) and medical emergency (blue) were similar in 90% of California hospitals queried, 47 different codes were used for infant abduction and 61 for combative person . In light of this, HASC published a handbook titled "Healthcare Facility Emergency Codes: A Guide for Code Standardization" listing various codes and has strongly urged hospitals to voluntarily implement the revised codes . </Li> <Li> In 2003, Maryland mandated that all acute hospitals in the state have uniform codes . </Li> <Li> In 2008, the Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems, Oregon Patient Safety Commission, and Washington State Hospital Association formed a taskforce to standardize emergency code calls under the leadership of the Dr. Lawrence Schecter, Chief Medical Officer, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett . After both states had conducted a survey from all hospital members, the taskforce found many hospitals used the same code for fire (code Red); however, there were tremendous variations existed for codes representing respiratory and cardiac arrest, infant and child abduction, and combative person . After deliberations and decisions, the taskforce suggested the following as the Hospital Emergency Code: <Ul> <Li> Code Blue: Heart or Respiration Stops (An adult, child, or infant's heart has stopped or they are not breathing .) </Li> <Li> Code Red: Fire </Li> <Li> Code Orange: Hazardous Spills (A hazardous material spill or release; Unsafe exposure to spill .) </Li> <Li> Code Silver: Weapon or Hostage Situation </Li> <Li> Code Grey: Combative Person (Combative or abusive behavior by patients, families, visitors, staff or physicians) If a weapon is involved "CODE SILVER" should be called . </Li> <Li> Amber Alert: Infant / Child Abduction </Li> <Li> Internal Triage: Internal Emergency (Internal emergency in multiple departments including: Bomb or bomb threat; Computer network down; Major plumbing problems; and Power or telephone outage .) </Li> <Li> External Triage: External Disaster (External emergencies impacting hospital including: Mass casualties; Severe weather; Massive power outages; and Nuclear, biological, and chemical accidents) </Li> <Li> Rapid Response Team: Medical Team Needed at Bedside (A patient's medical condition is declining and needs an emergency medical team at the bedside) Prior to heart or respiration stopping </Li> <Li> Code Clear: Announced when emergency is over </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> In 2015, the South Carolina Hospital Association formed a work group to develop plain language standardization code recommendations . Abolishing all color codes was suggested . </Li> </Ul> <Li> In 2000, the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) determined that a uniform code system is needed after "three persons were killed in a shooting incident at an area medical center after the wrong emergency code was called ." While codes for fire (red) and medical emergency (blue) were similar in 90% of California hospitals queried, 47 different codes were used for infant abduction and 61 for combative person . In light of this, HASC published a handbook titled "Healthcare Facility Emergency Codes: A Guide for Code Standardization" listing various codes and has strongly urged hospitals to voluntarily implement the revised codes . </Li> <Li> In 2003, Maryland mandated that all acute hospitals in the state have uniform codes . </Li> <Li> In 2008, the Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems, Oregon Patient Safety Commission, and Washington State Hospital Association formed a taskforce to standardize emergency code calls under the leadership of the Dr. Lawrence Schecter, Chief Medical Officer, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett . After both states had conducted a survey from all hospital members, the taskforce found many hospitals used the same code for fire (code Red); however, there were tremendous variations existed for codes representing respiratory and cardiac arrest, infant and child abduction, and combative person . After deliberations and decisions, the taskforce suggested the following as the Hospital Emergency Code: <Ul> <Li> Code Blue: Heart or Respiration Stops (An adult, child, or infant's heart has stopped or they are not breathing .) </Li> <Li> Code Red: Fire </Li> <Li> Code Orange: Hazardous Spills (A hazardous material spill or release; Unsafe exposure to spill .) </Li> <Li> Code Silver: Weapon or Hostage Situation </Li> <Li> Code Grey: Combative Person (Combative or abusive behavior by patients, families, visitors, staff or physicians) If a weapon is involved "CODE SILVER" should be called . </Li> <Li> Amber Alert: Infant / Child Abduction </Li> <Li> Internal Triage: Internal Emergency (Internal emergency in multiple departments including: Bomb or bomb threat; Computer network down; Major plumbing problems; and Power or telephone outage .) </Li> <Li> External Triage: External Disaster (External emergencies impacting hospital including: Mass casualties; Severe weather; Massive power outages; and Nuclear, biological, and chemical accidents) </Li> <Li> Rapid Response Team: Medical Team Needed at Bedside (A patient's medical condition is declining and needs an emergency medical team at the bedside) Prior to heart or respiration stopping </Li> <Li> Code Clear: Announced when emergency is over </Li> </Ul> </Li>

Codes for red vs blue vs green vs yellow event