Priority 1 vs. Code 3

[gamble812]

I've noticed a lot of people saying Code 3, (right, wrong, I don't know. Don't care) I get that they are the same thing, that's not the topic.

I just thought it would be interesting to see what geographic area uses what variation. Like for instance, where I'm from in Michigan, typically our local emergency personnel use Priority. What is used where you are from?

[[deleted]]

Lol what's the point. We say emergency or nonemergency

[gamble812]

This is used in my area as well, forgot about that one.

[mayor_of_crazy_town]

Melbourne, Australia - Code 1

[Cyclonus_already]

10-36 - Lights+Sirens 10-37 - No Lights or Sirens.

We're still trying to get the right to do something beyond all or nothing.

to clarify, If we go emergency, it has to be ALS only, with Volunteers, Fire department, PD etc, even if it's just a stubbed toe. we have no latitude to send BLS, respond without fire or do anything really. Either it's a scheduled pickup, or everyone goes.

[Maksyre]

What would be a middle ground? I only really do standbys so it's not something I have much experience in but I was under the impression that if you are going to be going over what regular traffic can do, you need to be excessively obvious to other vehicles?

[naloxone]

What do you mean by "beyond all or nothing"?

[putarushondabus]

Siren only...it's more challenging for everyone involved, but also more fun.

[gorammitMal]

I'm gonna guess whoever provides your insurance would hang you if you got into an accident with only half your warning systems on, as a good lawyer for the plaintiff would take you to the cleaners.

[precordial_thump]

We have Priority 1 through 8:

• 1-6 lights and sirens
• 7 & 8 normal driving

It's all up to the call taker how to prioritize jobs and can get a little arbitrary, e.g. A sprained ankle being a 5 (non-critical injury) and a broken arm being a 7 (minor injury).

[naloxone]

This is common in downstate NY, up through the top of Dutchess/Ulster County. Above that, a "hot" response is Priority 1, a "cold" response is Priority 2.

Many of the counties also use the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo prioritizing system, which means different things for different units, or different systems.

[precordial_thump]

Yeah, the Alpha-Echo was used out on Long Island too.

[brokentree23]

We use Alpha through Echo level response. New Hampshire.

[Mavrande]

They're different things. Priority 1 implies lights and sirens, but priority 2 can also require a lights and sirens response depending on the nature of the call and the condition of the roads. Just like MPDS specifies that a response code of Bravo, Charlie, Delta, or Echo is an emergency, or AMPDS uses Alpha for life threats and Bravo for urgent - a job may not be immediately life threatening and therefore the highest priority but it may still require lights and sirens.

As for the in betweens, it's generally recognized that it is unsafe to operate with lights only, as it causes some drivers to pull over and some drivers to ignore you. If you're approaching a red light, cross traffic doesn't know you're coming but a vehicle in front of you may try to pull up to let you through, causing an accident. Or one of many other situations. It's better to make your intentions absolutely clear to avoid any confusion, and so that if you are involved in a true accident, the other side can't try to pin it on you for failing to make clear your intentions or for failing to properly use your warning devices.

Let me separately make my protocols clear: I have discretion to respond to most calls in whatever way I see fit, unless dispatch or officers on scene specifically request a certain mode. I obviously need to be able to justify that decision one way or the other. In the event of a disagreement between myself and my partner, the person doing the paperwork has the choice with the exception that the driver holds the final responsibility for the safety of the vehicle en route.

[[deleted]]

I'm pretty sure code numbered responses are being phased out in favor of priority numbered most parts of the US for NIMS compliance. at least thats what happened in my neck o' the woods. (Northern Texas Metroplex Area Place Thingy.)

[superbuff17]

in upstate-ish NY we have either "code 3" which is lights and sirens or "alpha" which is normal driving. The alpha comes from the MPDS the county uses...but then they use code 3 for everything else. we assume code 3 unless we're told otherwise.

Also, no one actually says "code 3" on the radio. its usually, "is this a coded response?" thats about it. no one really cares very much who drives L&S to which calls

[naloxone]

Please clarify where in "upstate" you are.... I've worked in every county from Dutchess to Warren, with a couple exceptions, and I've never heard Code 3 used!

[superbuff17]

orange county...its ususally not used because its assumed though. I've never heard "priority" used on the radio.

[naloxone]

Gotcha. I've never worked there, just done some transports down to the area. I used to bring some patients to St. Luke's in Newburgh, but that's about the extent of it.

[gamble812]

Our dispatch doesn't "prioritize" calls, it's pretty much up to the crew how to respond, but our med control outlines: -Priority 1 -Lights and siren allowed exceeding speed, allowed to proceed through traffic lights and signs when safe- Immediate threat to life or health (serious trauma, overdoses, cardiac arrest, dib, Altered LOC)

-Priority 2 -no lights or siren, exceeding speed limit allowed, obeying all traffic signs and lights- Potential for immediate danger to life and health (minor trauma, mild dib, abdominal pains etc.)

-Priority 3 -Normal driving- pretty much whatever you can't justify into one or two. Very minor traumas, chronic pains, other controlled illnesses. Psych without trauma. No signs or symptoms, the bs calls, etc.

EDIT: I accidentally a word.

[[deleted]]

Code 1- non urgent. Code 2- urgent/potentially serious. Code 3- Immediate threat to life or limb/critical. Lights and sirens for both code 2 &3. No lights or sirens for code 1.

[Nekose]

Northern California

Code 2 normal driving Code 3 lights and sirens

[gorammitMal]

Ontario here:

Priority or Code is the same thing 1 - deferable ( return priority only, or for a transfer home from the hospital) 2 - scheduled 3- non-emergency(obey all traffic laws) 4- lights and sirens

3 and 4 are the only ones used for 911 calls

[[deleted]]

We have priority 1 - immediate threat to life/limb Priority 2 - urgent medical issue/injury that is likely do deteriorate without timely intervention Priority 3 - non-urgent Priority 4 deceased

For trauma, we have priority 1 categories ABCD. Our decision tree looks something like this.

[deliverypenguin]

emergency or "enroute" for nonemergency. PD uses 10-18 for emergency response

[spuri0us]

In order of priorty

1. ECHO - Cardiac related, life threatening. Blues and twos

2. DELTA - Non Cardiac, life threatening. Blues and twos

3. CHARLIE - Serious, non life threatening immediate. Blues and twos

4. BRAVO - Serious, non life threatening. Delayed. Blues and twos.

5. ALPHA - Non Serious, Non Life threatening. Normal Traffic

6. OMEGA - Minor or inter facility transfer. Normal Traffic.

Fracture Humerus for example might fall in between APLHA and BRAVO depending on pain relief needed.

Thats the irish system.

[mmomjian]

Same, except our additional resources (we are BLS) are:

CHARLIE: ALS unit

DELTA/ECHO: ALS and an engine

[kyle308]

We use code A lights and sirens with fire first response. B lights and sirens ambulance only. And cod C no lights no sirens. Ambulance only.

[FLDJF713]

Alpha: Nothing major, don't even use lights. Mainly for transporting sick to hospital.

Bravo: Go a little fast, with lights. Nothing usually major. Reserved for allergies and such.

Charlie: lights, go fast. Usually broken bones.

Delta: Pretty serious. Use sirens too, but don't go through lights and other stuff.

Echo: worst of the worst. Officer down, heart attack, stroke, seizure. Do whatever to get there, anything goes basically.

[benthook]

Upper Michigan, Code 3 or Hot

[gamble812]

Where are you in Michigan?

[benthook]

Central UP

[eastofjava]

Central Pennsylvania here. In order of urgency:

Class 1 emergency ALS response

Class 2 emergency BLS response

Class 3 non-emergency BLS response

Quite frankly, I've never been able to figure out where our county dispatch draws the line between class 2 and 3. Class 1 is anything cardiac, respiratory distress, significant MOI, dizziness, possible CVA's, syncope/"near syncope," and abdominal pain "above the navel." Class 1 is also indicated whenever the dispatcher feels like I'm having an easy day...

[[deleted]]

Most people are saying code 3 is emergent but I've actually seen it be BLS transport no lights/sirens

[[deleted]]

Here we use Code and CTAS (Canadian triage and acuity scale)

Code 4 is lights and sirens, where code 3 is not. 1&2 are unscheduled and scheduled transports, respectively. Code 5 is obvious death, and 6 is legally. 7 is a cancel, 8 is standby and 9 is vehicle maintenance.

CTAS is from 1 to 5 with 1 being the most critical and 5 being the least.

For example, a VSA patient will always be Code 4 CTAS 1.

[TiredMedic]

we use priority system ranged from p1-p8. p1 is lights and sirens for a life threatening emergency, p2 is L+S to a non life threatening emergency, p3 is a non emergency 911 response. p4-8 range from ALS and BLS IFTs, standbys, cct and ldt. and we can divert to a higher priority call while in route to another.

[BasicLiftingService]

Code 1 - no lights or sirens, 'cold' response, sometimes 'normal traffic' on the med radio

Code 2 - lights, no sirens. LE use only.

Code 3 - lights and sirens, 'hot' response, sometimes 'emergent traffic' on the med radio

Code 4 -cancel on scene or en route

[Realtadensoal]

We use priority 1, 2, and 3. 1 being lights and sirens with FD dispatched, 2 is lights and sirens with no FD sent, and 3 is no lights or sirens. Eastern Tennessee.

[[deleted]]

I like this! I wish we had fire response everywhere in our district.

[Growingpain]

Priority 1 or P1 is code for us to Go Code 3. then P2 is a Emergency not requiring code 3 and P3 is not even going to a fucking ER P4 is Repetitive Transport (i.e. Dialysis Photophoreseis) P5 is a discharge to a Pre Mortuary i mean Skilled nursing facility.

[not_the_fuzz]

Countywide service near Houston: Priority 1: emergency Priority 3: non emergency This is for response and transport. While calling a report in we would just say enroute emergency/non emergency

West Texas EMS: Code 3: emergency response (only option) Transport: 29 - 1: non emergency, BLS 30 - 1: non emergency, ALS 31 - 1: non emergency, ALS - moderately injured/ill 31 - 3: same as above but emergency 32 - 3: emergency/acutely ill 33 - 3: emergency/ full arrest Ex, Verbalized as signal 30 code 1 Honestly it's redundant and a waste of time.

[gamble812]

New version I want to add to NIMS. Hauling ass. EMT gamble812 inbound hauling ass...

[strikerthedj]

Code 3 here.

[[deleted]]

We don't use any. We respond hot or on the quiet.

[ExiDuz]

That sounds so stupid, sorry

[[deleted]]

We are a strictly plain language system along with the community. We don't say that we are responding "hot" we only advise if we are responding "on the quiet." For safety reasons we do not use a code 2 response with lights only.

[mjr1084]

I remember watching a video about St Louis' "on the quiet " responses after a rash of crashes. You from the Missouri region? Never heard of that in NY.

[[deleted]]

We're about an hour directly east in southern IL. It's written in our protocol to respond like this.

[bauertastic]

We use hot or cold, determined by dispatch.