Emergency Preparedness
Our hospital follows the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) standardized emergency codes to guide staff during urgent situations. You may hear overhead announcements or see staff responding. If this happens, stay calm and follow their direction.
Emergency Codes
Emergency Codes are called overhead. The instructions are primarily directed at specific teams of staff with specialized training to respond. CMH follows the Ontario Hospital Association standardized codes system. If you are a patient or visitor to the hospital and a code is called, remain calm. If the code is announced near you, if able, move away from the affected area and wait or ask for direction from your care team or staff. It is our goal to ensure your safety first.
The hospital may announce codes as a drill to keep staff training updated so staff are always ready to respond effectively and efficiently.
Below is a list of Emergency Codes and what they mean. You may hear these while visiting our hospital.
| CODE YELLOW | Missing Person 18+ years |
| CODE AMBER | Missing Child/Abducted Child under 18 years |
| CODE ORANGE | External Disaster/Mass Casualty Incident |
| CODE RED | Fire |
| CODE WHITE | Violent/Disruptive Person |
| CODE BLUE | Cardiac Arrest/Medical Emergency |
| CODE PINK | Respiratory/Cardiac Arrest Neonate - 28 days |
| CODE BROWN | Hazardous Spill |
| CODE PURPLE | Hostage Taking |
| CODE BLACK | Bomb Threat |
| CODE GREY |
External Air Exclusion or Loss of Essential Services Loss of Essential Technology and/or Cybersecurity Event |
| CODE SILVER | Person with a Firearm |
| CODE OB | Obstetrical Emergency |
| CODE TRANSFUSION | Massive Hemorrhage |
| CODE AQUA | Flood or Leak of Clean Water |
| CODE GREEN | Evacuation |
Preparedness Through Collaboration
Emergency readiness is a shared effort. Our hospital collaborates with community emergency partners, including local fire services, to support training, education, and coordinated response planning. These partnerships enhance our overall emergency preparedness and strengthen safety for everyone in our care.
Emergency codes are primarily for trained staff. Visitors should stay calm, follow any instructions given by staff, and move away from the affected area if asked.
Not always. Hospitals regularly run drills to ensure staff remain prepared. If a code is a drill, staff will usually be informed — but visitors should still follow instructions as if it were real.
If evacuation is required, staff will guide patients and visitors to a safe location. Follow their instructions immediately and do not use elevators unless directed.
Different codes reflect different levels of risk. Some require immediate action from specific teams (e.g., Code Blue), while others alert staff to monitor or prepare for a situation. All codes are part of the hospital’s safety system.
Different codes reflect different levels of risk. Some require immediate action from specific teams (e.g., Code Blue), while others alert staff to monitor or prepare for a situation. All codes are part of the hospital’s safety system.
Different codes reflect different levels of risk. Some require immediate action from specific teams (e.g., Code Blue), while others alert staff to monitor or prepare for a situation. All codes are part of the hospital’s safety system.