Edmonton EMS type code cheat sheet

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electricsheep

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Edmonton EMS Type Code Cheat Sheet

Severity runs from A (Alpha) to E (Echo), with E being the most severe cases.

These are not all the Type Codes, but give you an idea of what you are hearing being dispatched. So for example, a not so bad animal bite (gerbil) would be a 3A, but a really really bad animal bite/attack (army of angry bears) would be a 3E...

1. Abdominal Pains/Problems
2. Allergies/Hives/Red Reaction/Stings
3. Animal Bites/Attacks
4. Assault/Rape
5. Back Pain
6. Breathing Problems
7. Burns/Explosion
8. Carbon Monoxide/Inhalation/HazMat
9. Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest
10. Chest pain
11. Choking
12. Convulsions/Seizures
13. Diabetic Problems
14. Drowning (near) / Diving Accident
15. Electrocution
16. Eye problems / injuries
17. Falls / Back injuries (traumatic)
18. Headache
19. Heart Problems
20. Heat / cold exposure
21. Hemorrhage / lacerations
22. Industrial / machinery accidents
23. Overdose / ingestion / poisoning
24. Pregnancy / childbirth / miscarriage
25. Psychiatric emergency/suicide attempt
26. Sick person (specific diagnosis)
27. Stab / gunshot wound
28. Stroke (CVA)
29. Traffic accidents
30. Traumatic injuries, specific
31. Unconscious / fainting (non-traumatic)
32. Unknown problem (man down)
33. PALLIATIVE CARE
 

Jay911

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This is the Medical Priority Dispatch standard and is in use in many dozens of centers around the world. There are a few that have modifications (for example, London UK uses determinants from C to A, C being least urgent, instead of vice versa), but most are identical to the above.

For those people in Alberta, all the services dispatched by Calgary EMS, Mountain View (STARS), Kananaskis Emergency Services, and Foothills Regional EMS (FREMS) use these codes.

For what it's worth, not all cards (numbers) have all determinants (letters). Echo is generally only used for 'ineffective breathing' calls - I believe in my region it can only be done with cards 2, 6, 9, 11, and 31. Chest pain has no 'bravo' response - it's either alpha, charlie, or delta.
 

scnnr

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Jay said:
This is the Medical Priority Dispatch standard and is in use in many dozens of centers around the world. There are a few that have modifications (for example, London UK uses determinants from C to A, C being least urgent, instead of vice versa), but most are identical to the above.

For those people in Alberta, all the services dispatched by Calgary EMS, Mountain View (STARS), Kananaskis Emergency Services, and Foothills Regional EMS (FREMS) use these codes.

For what it's worth, not all cards (numbers) have all determinants (letters). Echo is generally only used for 'ineffective breathing' calls - I believe in my region it can only be done with cards 2, 6, 9, 11, and 31. Chest pain has no 'bravo' response - it's either alpha, charlie, or delta.

Jay would Alberta use codes like this. I thought these were pretty much the standard dispatch codes used around North America now.

Randy
 
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Jay911

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scnnr said:
Jay would Alberta use codes like this.

Of the file you sent, the first 20 or so lines are Greek to me. They're for some service I'm unfamiliar with.

The part that starts out "Fire-Paramedic Dispatch Codes" is the expanded version of the MPDS, as previously listed. Your version just lists the different criteria that makes a Delta call a Delta, etc. However, while MPDS comes out with a standard list of this, it is often modified by the service using it, so it's best not to use it unless you are sure. Example - some agencies may code a card 28 as alpha for almost everything, despite the multiple charlie designations in the "official" list.

Your list is also of a slightly older version (11.1) than the ones in use in most parts now. Version 11.2 came out recently and among other things, changes card 22 from "industrial accident" to "entrapment (non-vehicle)"; also allows for specification of violence/police required in card 25, and allows for 'jumper' designation on card 17, etc.
 
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