Emergency Codes

Emergency Codes Preparedness at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital

At St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH), the Risk Management Team works to ensure our hospital has the capacity to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. The team is comprised of representatives from various programs and services and is responsible for providing oversight and leadership related to hospital emergency preparedness, including all emergency colour codes.

Emergency Colour Codes

An emergency code is a notification of an event that requires immediate action. STEGH utilizes standardized colour codes as supported by the Ontario Hospital Association. Staff, physicians, and volunteers understand what each code refers to and are aware of how to respond in order to provide a safe environment.

Know the Codes

Click here to download the graphic.

• AMBER - Missing or Abducted Infant or Child
  • Remain calm
  • Wait for instruction from staff
  • Do not actively participate in the search
  • If a person matching the description is seen, report it to hospital staff
• BLACK - Bomb Threat or Suspicious Item
  • If you see a suspicious item, DO NOT touch it and inform a staff member
  • Remain calm and stay away from the affected area (if announced)
  • If you are in the affected area, stay with your family or support person
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• BLUE - Adult Cardiac Arrest
  • Remain calm and stay away from the affected area
  • If you are in the affected area, stay with your family or support person
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• BROWN - Unknown or Unmanageable Hazardous Substance or Spill
  • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
  • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• GREEN - Evacuation
  • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
  • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• GREY - Air Exclusion or Infrastructure Disruption or Failure
  • Air Exclusion
    • Remain calm
    • Wait for instructions from staff
  • Infrastructure Disruption or Failure
    • Remain calm and say away from affected area (if announced)
    • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
    • Wait for instructions from staff
• ORANGE - Disaster
  • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
  • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• PINK - Infant or Pediatric Cardiac Arrest
  • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
  • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• PURPLE - Hostage Taking
  • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
  • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• RED - Fire
  • If you discover a fire:
    • Remove yourself from immediate danger
    • Call out "Code Red - Fire" and the location for assistance
    • Activate the fire alarm using the nearest pull station
  • If you hear an announcement:
    • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
    • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
    • Wait for instructions from staff
    • Do not use elevators
• SILVER - Active Shooter or Armed Intruder
  • Remain calm
  • Evacuate if safe to do so
  • Hide if you are unable to evacuate safely
  • Fight if you encounter the person with a weapon
• WHITE - Violent or Threatening Person
  • Remain calm and stay away from affected area
  • If you are in affected area, stay with your family or support system
  • Do not try to help!
  • Wait for instructions from staff
• YELLOW - Missing Patient
  • Remain calm
  • Wait for instructions from staff
  • Please not not actively participate in the search
  • If a person matching the description is seen, report it to hospital staff

If you see something, say something. Always inform the closest hospital worker as soon as possible, as they are trained to know the appropriate response actions.

Personal Preparedness

Emergency preparedness starts with everyone. STEGH encourages our patients, families, and community to get involved in emergency preparedness by taking actions to become more prepared. Please consider the following steps:

Know the Risks

Across Canada, we face a number of hazards, which can vary from region to region. Knowing the risks can inform how we plan and prepare. Click here to learn more about hazards monitored by Emergency Management Ontario.

Make an Emergency Plan & Preparedness Kit

No two households are the same. When building your emergency plan, be mindful of the special needs and considerations of individuals in your own household. By evaluating your unique needs, you can be better prepared for any situation. The following resources will help you and your family prepare for all types of emergencies, including emergency plan templates and emergency kit content recommendations.

• City of St. Thomas Emergency Preparedness
• Southwestern Public Health Emergency Preparedness
• Government of Ontario Emergency Preparedness
• Government of Canada Emergency Preparedness

Stay Informed

Tune into local news and emergency notification applications and stay up-to-date on important information.

• Current highway information, including road conditions and road closures via Ontario 511's mobile app and website
• Current weather alerts via Environment Canada's WeatherCAN mobile app and website.

Contact Us

For more information on Emergency Preparedness at STEGH, or to make a suggestion for this webpage, email riskmanagement@stegh.on.ca.