Emergency Codes

Niagara Health is responsible for the safety of its patients/ residents and will activate a Code Amber search procedure when an Infant or Child is declared missing and/or abducted by a non-authorized person.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff
5. Provide any information you may have to security if requested

A Code Aqua refers to the plans and procedures used to protect Niagara Health patients, visitors, families, staff, physicians, volunteers and property from a flood involving water.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If within the affected area, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff

In the event there is a failure or loss of Information Technologies (Computers, Phones, Wi-Fi, Cellular Network etc.) that constitute a health or safety risk to patients, visitors, staff, physicians and volunteers, a Code Beige will be announced.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Report any outages or service disruptions to a staff member
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff

Our Code Black policy informs staff of appropriate actions to be taken during a bomb threat or suspicious package emergency in order to minimize damage and disruption to patients, visitors, families, staff, physicians, volunteers and property. Niagara Health works collaboratively with the Niagara Regional Police Service in the management of a Code Black emergency.

How to respond:

1. Listen to ensure that this is not a drill or exercise
2. Try to remain calm
3. Await direction from hospital staff
4. If you identify a suspicious object/package, alert a staff member. DO NOT touch the package. Report the object/package to a staff member

Code Blue will be called in the event of impending/actual respiratory and/or cardiac arrest in patients 18 years of age and over.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Alert a staff member
3. Await direction from hospital staff

A Code Brown refers to the plans and procedures used to protect Niagara Health patients, visitors, families, staff, physicians, volunteers and property from hazardous or potentially hazardous chemical/biological spills.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If within the affected area, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff

The goal of a Code Orange is to enable Niagara Health to receive and treat a sudden influx of patients who also happen to be contaminated or exposed to harmful Chemicals, Biologicals, Nuclear, Radiological, or Explosive materials, while continuing to provide patient care and information management. A Family Information Support Centre may be activated to act as a central location to receive essential information for family members and the community.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff

In the event of a hospital evacuation, a Code Green is used to make decisions that focus on the safety for all. This includes whether it is safest to move to another unit or to the outside in the event of an emergency.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter any affected area(s)
3. If directed to relocate by a staff member, proceed to the designated waiting area. Follow a single file line. Leave all belongings behind

In the event there is an infrastructure system(s) failure or loss, or the implementation of intervention measures that constitute a health or safety risk to patients, visitors, staff, physicians and volunteers, a Code Grey will be announced.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Report any outages or service disruptions to a staff member
3. Do not open any windows and limit your movement throughout the facility
4. If able to do so, stay with your family/support network
5. Await direction from hospital staff

Our Code Maroon process provides the appropriate actions to be taken during a weather event affecting services at Niagara Health in order to minimize damage and disruption to patients, visitors, families, staff, physicians, volunteers and property. Niagara Health works collaboratively with the Municipal, Regions, Provincial and Federal groups to manage a Severe Weather event.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter any affected area(s)
3. If directed to relocate by a staff member, proceed to the designated waiting area

Code OB will be called in the event of a pre-born baby and mother requiring rapid intervention.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network

Code OMEGA will be called in the event that a patient in our care requires an urgent and rapid infusion of blood products.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network

Code One will be called in the event of an injury medical event or injury  requiring immediate assistance.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network

The goal of a Code Orange is to enable Niagara Health to receive and treat a sudden influx of patients and while continuing to provide patient care and information management. A Family Information Support Centre may be activated to act as a central location to receive essential information for family members and the community

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter any affected area(s)
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff

Code Pink will be called in the event of impending/actual respiratory and/or cardiac arrest in patients 17 years of age or under.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Alert a staff member
3. Await direction from hospital staff

The purpose of Code Purple is to provide a guideline to persons involved in an actual or potential hostage situation or involved with a person who has a weapon so that they may respond appropriately.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If within the affected area, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff or emergency services

Code Red procedures have been developed with local fire departments to mitigate the risks associated with fire at Niagara Health.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. Await direction from hospital staff or emergency services
4. If directed to do so, leave the building by the nearest exist
5. Close doors behind you
6. Caution: Do not use elevators. If you encounter smoke, use an alternative exit

Niagara Health is committed to providing a safe environment for all people within its facilities. A Code Silver outlines the response taken to manage an active attacker or person with a weapon.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If in the affected area:
   1. Run – Evacuate the area if safe to do so
   2. Hide – Seek cover and concealment if unable to run
   3. Fight – As a last resort, do whatever it takes to maintain your safety against the attacker.
4. Await direction from hospital staff or law enforcement

A Code White refers to plans and procedures that manage violent or potentially violent patients who are unmanageable by any other means and present a danger to self or to others.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If within the affected area, stay with your family/support network

Niagara Health is responsible for the safety of its patients/ residents and will activate a Code Yellow search procedure when a person is declared missing (unauthorized absence from the unit/hospital). This may be used to address missing staff, volunteers, visitors or contractors if required.

How to respond:

1. Try to remain calm
2. Do not enter the affected area
3. If able to do, stay with your family/support network
4. Await direction from hospital staff
5. Provide any information you may have to security if requested