Hospital Emergency Codes

Have you ever wondered what the classic "Code Red" means when you hear it announced in the background of your favorite hospital television show? Or maybe you've actually heard a "code" announcement at your hospital?

Reader's Digest to the rescue! Below are the definitions of the common hospital codes that they published in their May 2012 issue (although codes can vary).

CODE:

RED: fire
BLUE: adult medical emergency
WHITE: pediatric medical emergency
PURPLE: child abduction
GRAY: combative person
SILVER: combative person with a weapon and/or hostage
YELLOW: bomb threat
PINK: infant abduction
ORANGE: hazardous-materials spill
BROWN: bed full of excrement

Actually, those all sound awful! Let's just hope and pray that we all only reference this guide because we hear them on tv!