EMS Call Classification Coding
There are many EMD systems out there, and all get updated periodically. Most dispatch centers don't put over the air the fully qualified dispatch code, just a verbal descriptor plus the A-B-C-D-E level. Fire and police dispatches have the same (but different) types of systems, tho I've rarely heard them used over the air.
Here's the last system info I've run across, and it gives you an idea of the severity levels and areas of classification (not necessarily confirmed what's used in Dane, but similar):
Abdominal Pain
1-D-1 Not alert
1-C-1 Fainting or near fainting >50 y/o
1-C-2 Females w/ fainting or near fainting 12-50 y/o
1-C-3 Males w/ pain above navel >45 y/o
1-C-4 Females w/ pain above navel >45 y/o
1-A-1 Abdominal pain
Allergic Reaction
2-E-1 Ineffective breathing
2-D-1 Severe respiratory distress
2-D-2 Not Alert
2-D-3 Conditioning worsening
2-D-4 Swarming attack (bees)
2-D-5 Snakebite
2-C-1 Difficulty breathing or swallowing
2-C-2 Special medications or injections used
2-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
2-A-1 No difficulty breathing or swallowing
2-A-2 Spider Bite
Animal Bites
3-D-1 Unconscious or arrest
3-D-2 Not alert
3-D-3 Dangerous body area
3-D-4 Large animal
3-D-5 Exotic animal
3-D-6 Attack or multiple animals
3-B-1 Possibly dangerous body area
3-B-2 Serious hemorrhage
3-B-3 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
3-A-1 Not dangerous body area
3-A-2 Non-recent injuries >6 hours
3-A-3 Superficial bites
Assault
(A= Assault/ S= Sexual Assault)
4-D-1 Unconscious or arrest
4-D-2 Not alert
4-D-3 Abnormal breathing
4-D-4 Dangerous body area
4-D-5 Multiple victims
4-B-1 Possibly dangerous body area
4-B-2 Serious hemorrhage
4-B-3 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
4-A-1 Not dangerous body area
4-A-2 Non-recent injuries >6 hours
Back Pain
5-D-1 Not alert
5-C-1 Fainting or near fainting >50 y/o
5-A-1 Non-traumatic
5-A-2 Non-recent injuries >6 hours
Breathing Difficulty
(A=Asthma)
6-E-1 Ineffective breathing
6-D-1 Severe respiratory distress
6-D-2 Not alert
6-D-3 Clammy
6-C-1 Abnormal breathing
6-C-2 Cardiac history
Burn Subject
7-D-1 Unconscious or arrest
7-D-2 Severe respiratory distress
7-D-3 Not alert
7-D-4 Explosion
7-D-5 Multiple victims
7-C-1 Building fire w/ persons inside
7-C-2 Difficulty breathing
7-C-3 Burns >18% BSA
7-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
7-A-1 Burns <18% BSA
7-A-2 Fire alarm unknown situation
7-A-3 Sunburn or minor burns
Hazardous Exposure
8-D-1 Unconscious or arrest
8-D-2 Severe respiratory distress
8-D-3 HAZ-MAT
8-D-4 Not alert
8-D-5 Multiple victims
8-D-6 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
8-C-1 Alert w/ difficulty breathing
8-B-1 Alert w/o difficulty breathing
8-A-1 CO alarm- EMS requested
Cardiac Arrest
9-E-1 Not breathing at all
9-E-2 Breathing uncertain
9-E-3 Hanging
9-E-4 Strangulation
9-E-5 Suffocation
9-E-6 Underwater
9-D-1 Ineffective breathing
9-B-1 Obvious death
Chest Pain
10-D-1 Severe respiratory distress
10-D-2 Not alert
10-D-3 Clammy
10-C-1 Abnormal breathing
10-C-2 Cardiac history
10-C-3 Cocaine
10-C-4 Breathing normally >35 y/o
10-A-1 Breathing normally <35 y/o
Choking
11-E-1 Choking verified/ ineffective breathing
11-D-1 Not alert
11-D-2 Abnormal breathing
11-A-1 Not choking now
Seizures
12-D-1 Not breathing
12-D-2 Continuous or multiple seizures
12-D-3 Irregular breathing
12-D-4 Breathing regularly not verified >35 y/o
12-C-1 Pregnancy
12-C-2 Diabetic
12-C-3 Cardiac history
12-B-1 Breathing regularly not verified <35 y/o
12-A-1 Not seizing now & breathing verified
Diabetic Problems
13-D-1 Unconscious
13-C-1 Not alert
13-C-2 Abnormal behavior
13-C-3 Abnormal breathing
13-A-1 Alert
Drowning
14-D-1 Unconscious
14-D-2 Not alert
14-D-3 Diving or neck injury
14-D-4 SCUBA accident
14-C-1 Alert w/ abnormal breathing
14-B-1 Alert & breathing normally w/ injuries
14-B-2 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
14-A-1 Alert & breathing normally w/o injuries
Electrocution
(E=Electrocution/ L= Lightning)
15-E-1 Not breathing / ineffective breathing
15-D-1 Unconscious
15-D-2 Not disconnected from power
15-D-3 Power not off
15-D-4 Long fall >6 ft.
15-D-5 Not alert
15-D-6 Abnormal breathing
15-D-7 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
15-C-1 Alert & breathing normally
Eye Problem
16-D-1 Not alert
16-B-1 Severe eye injuries
16-A-1 Moderate eye injuries
16-A-2 Minor eye injuries
16-A-3 Medical eye problems
Falls
17-D-1 Dangerous body area
17-D-2 Long fall >6 ft.
17-D-3 Not alert
17-D-4 Abnormal breathing
17-B-1 Possibly dangerous body area
17-B-2 Serious hemorrhage
17-B-3 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
17-A-1 Not dangerous body area
17-A-2 Non-recent injuries >6 hrs.
Headache
18-C-1 Not alert
18-C-2 Abnormal breathing
18-C-3 Speech problems
18-C-4 Sudden onset of severe pain
18-C-5 Numbness or paralysis
18-C-6 Change in behavior
18-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
18-A-1 Breathing normally
Heart Problem
19-D-1 Severe respiratory distress
19-D-2 Not alert
19-D-3 Clammy
19-C-1 Firing of AICD
19-C-2 Abnormal breathing
19-C-3 Chest pain >35 y/o
19-C-4 Cardiac history
19-C-5 Cocaine
19-C-6 Heart rate <50 or >130
19-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
19-A-1 Heart rate >50 or <130 w/o symptoms
19-A-2 Chest pain <35 y/o w/o symptoms
Environmental Exposure
20-D-1 Not alert
20-C-1 Cardiac history
20-B-1 Change in skin color
20-B-2 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
20-A-1 Alert
Hemorrhage
21-D-1 Dangerous hemorrhage
21-D-2 Not alert
21-D-3 Abnormal breathing
21-C-1 Hemorrhage through a tube
21-B-1 Possibly dangerous hemorrhage
21-B-2 Serious hemorrhage
21-B-3 Bleeding disorder or blood thinners
21-A-1 Non dangerous hemorrhage
21-A-2 Minor hemorrhage
Industrial Accidents
22-D-1 Life status questionable
22-D-2 Caught in machinery
22-D-3 Multiple victims
22-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
Overdose
(A=Accidental/I=Intentional/P=Poisoning)
23-D-1 Unconscious
23-D-2 Severe respiratory distress
23-C-1 Violent
23-C-2 Not alert
23-C-3 Abnormal breathing
23-C-4 Antidepressants
23-C-5 Cocaine
23-C-6 Narcotics
23-C-7 Acid or Alkali
23-C-8 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
23-C-9 Poison Control request for response
23-B-1 Overdose without symptoms
23-O-1 Poisoning w/o priority symptoms
Pregnancy
24-D-1 Breech or cord
24-D-2 Head visible
24-D-3 Imminent delivery > 5 months
24-D-4 3rd trimester bleeding
24-D-5 High risk complications
24-D-6 Baby born
24-C-1 2nd trimester hemorrhage or miscarriage
24-C-2 1st trimester serious hemorrhage
24-B-1 Labor > 5 months
24-B-2 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
24-A-1 1st trimester hemorrhage or miscarriage
Psychiatric Problem
25-D-1 Not alert
25-B-1 Violent
25-B-2 Threatening suicide
25-B-3 Near hanging
25-B-4 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
25-A-1 Non-violent & non-suicidal
Sick Call
26-D-1 Not alert
26-C-1 Cardiac history
26-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
26-A-1 No priority symptoms
26-A-2 Boils
26-A-3 Bumps
26-A-4 Cannot sleep
26-A-5 Cannot urinate
26-A-6 Catheter problems
26-A-7 Constipation
26-A-8 Cramps/spasms
26-A-9 Cut-off ring request
26-A-10 Deafness
26-A-11 Defecation/diarrhea
26-A-12 Earache
26-A-13 Enema
26-A-14 Gout
26-A-15 Hemorrhoids/piles
26-A-16 Hepatitis
26-A-17 Hiccups
26-A-18 Hungry
26-A-19 Nervous
26-A-20 Object stuck
26-A-21 Object swallowed
26-A-22 Penis problems
26-A-23 Rash/skin disorder
26-A-24 STD
26-A-25 Sore throat
26-A-26 Toothache
26-A-27 Transportation only
26-A-28 Wound infected
Stab/Gunshot/Penetrating Trauma (S, G, or P)
27-D-1 Unconscious or arrest
27-D-2 Not alert
27-D-3 Central wounds
27-D-4 Multiple wounds
27-D-5 Multiple victims
27-B-1 Non-recent injuries >6 hrs./ central wound
27-B-2 Known single peripheral wound
27-B-3 Serious hemorrhage
27-B-4 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
27-A-1 Non-recent >6 hrs. peripheral wounds
Stroke
28-C-1 Not alert
28-C-2 Abnormal breathing
28-C-3 Speech or movement problems
28-C-4 Numbness or tingling
28-C-5 Stroke history
28-C-6 Breathing normally > 35 y/o
28-B-1 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
28-A-1 Breathing normally < 35 y/o
Traffic Collision
29-D-1-A Major incident (aircraft)
29-D-1-B Major incident (bus)
29-D-1-D Major incident (train)
29-D-1-E Major incident (watercraft)
29-D-2-A High mechanism (all-terrain)
29-D-2-B High mechanism (motorcycle)
29-D-2-C High mechanism (auto-pedestrian)
29-D-2-D High mechanism (ejection)
29-D-2-E High mechanism (personal watercraft)
29-D-2-F High mechanism (rollovers)
29-D-2-G High mechanism (vehicle off bridge/height)
29-D-3 HAZMAT
29-D-4 Pinned
29-D-5 Not alert
29-B-1 Injuries
29-B-2 Multiple victims (one unit)
29-B-3 Multiple victims (additional units)
29-B-4 Serious hemorrhage
29-B-5 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
29-A-1 1st party caller w/ non-dangerous injury
Traumatic Injuries
30-D-1 Dangerous body area
30-D-2 Not alert
30-D-3 Abnormal breathing
30-B-1 Possibly dangerous body area
30-B-2 Serious hemorrhage
30-A-1 Not dangerous body area
30-A-2 Non-recent injuries>6 hrs.
Subject Unconscious
31-E-1 Ineffective breathing
31-D-1 Unconscious
31-D-2 Severe respiratory distress
31-D-3 Not alert
31-C-1 Alert w/ abnormal breathing
31-C-2 Cardiac history
31-C-3 Multiple fainting episodes
31-C-4 Single or near fainting episode & alert
31-C-5 Female 12-50 w/ abdominal pain
31-A-1
Medical Nature Unknown
32-D-1 Life status questionable
32-B-1 Standing, moving, sitting, or talking
32-B-2 Medical alert notification
32-B-3 Unknown status (3rd party caller)
Transfers
(T=Transfer/ I=Interfacility)
33-D-1 Suspected cardiac or respiratory arrest
33-C-1 Not alert (acute change)
33-C-2 Abnormal breathing
33-C-3 Significant hemorrhage or shock
33-C-4 Possible acute heart problems or MI
33-C-5 Acute severe pain
33-C-6 Emergency response requested
33-A-1 No priority symptoms
