Emergency Service Response Codes - Response Codes

Response Codes

The most commonly used response codes are:

• CODE 1: Non-emergency response. No lights or siren, following the flow of traffic.
• CODE 2: Non-emergency response, but important. Must follow traffic laws. Lights and siren may be used to avoid stopped or slow traffic and to maintain safety.
• CODE 3: Life-threat response. Emergency traffic, or simultaneous use of lights and siren required in order to achieve a rapid response. In most circumstances this does not allow the responding unit to ignore jurisdictional traffic laws or operate without due regard to safety. It does however give the authority to request the right-of-way from other vehicles on the roadway.
• CODE 4: All clear or I am okay. Also used to tell another unit they can disregard.
• CODE 5: Area under surveillance. All marked units stay out of area.
• CODE 6: Calling for a cover unit(s).
• CODE 7: Lunch break.
• CODE 8: Confidential information.
• CODE 9: All non-emergency traffic stay off the radio. A beep transmits over the air every couple of seconds.
• CODE 0: Big emergency. All units in the area respond code 3 to the units' location.