Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Codes

This is a list of common Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Codes used by most 911 dispatch agencies in The United States, often referred to as an EMS Codes Cheat Sheet.

1. Abdominal Pains/Problems
   A-1 – Abdominal pain
   C-1 – Males (older than 34)
   C-2 – Females (older than 45)
   C-3 – Not alert
   C-4 – Females with fainting (ages 12 – 50)
2. Allergies/Hives/Red Reaction/Stings
   A-1 – No difficulty breathing or swallowing
   B-1 – Unknown symptoms (3rd party situation)
   C-1 – Difficulty breathing or swallowing
   D-1 – Severe respiration distress
   D-2 – Not alert
   D-3 – Condition worsening
   E-1 – Ineffective Breathing
3. Animal Bites/Attacks
   A-1 – Superficial or minor bites
   A-2 – Spider or insect bites
   B-1 – Peripheral bites with serious bleeding
   B-2 – Unknown injuries (3rd party situation)
   D-1 – Severe central bites
   D-2 – Large carnivores
   D-3 – Zoo animal
   D-4 – Exotic animal
   D-5 – Any snake
   D-6 – Attacks or multiple animals
4. Assault/Rape
   A-1 – Not dangerous injuries
   A-2 – Non-recent injuries (> 6 hrs)
   B-1 – Possibly dangerous injuries
   B-2 – Serious hemorrhages
   B-3 – Unknown injuries (3rd party situation)
   D-1 – Multiple victims
   D-2 – Dangerous injuries
   D-3 – Not alert
   D-4 – Abnormal breathing
5. Back Pain
   A-1 – Non-traumatic back pain
   A-2 – Non recent traumatic back pain (> 6 hrs)
   C-1 – Fainting (age > 50 and non-traumatic)
   D-1 – Not alert
6. 6. Breathing Problems
   C-1 – Difficulty breathing
   C-2 – Asthma
   C-3 – Cardiac history
   D-1 – Severe respiratory distress
   D-2 – Not alert
   D-3 – Sweat or changing colors
   E-1 – Ineffective Breathing
7. Burns/Explosion
   A-1 – Small burns
   A-2 – Sunburn or minor burns (< hand size)
   B-1 – Unknown extent (3rd party situation)
   C-1 – Difficulty breathing
   C-2 – Large burns
   D-1 – Multiple victims
   D-2 – Severe respiratory distress
   D-3 – Not Alert
   D-4 – Explosion
8. Carbon Monoxide/Inhalation/Hazardous Materials
   B-1 – Alert and breathing normally
   C-1 – Alert with abnormal breathing
   D-1 – Multiple victims
   D-2 – Not alert
   D-3 – Hazardous Materials
   D-4 – Unknown status (3rd party situation)
9. Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest
   B-1 – Obvious death
   D-1 – Suspected cardiac arrest
   D-2 – Suspected respiratory arrest
   E-1 – Not Breathing
   E-2 – Breathing Unknown
   E-3 – Hanging
   E-4 – Strangulation
   E-5 – Suffocation
   E-6 – Drowning
10. Chest pain
    A-1 – Normal breathing (age < 35)
    C-1 – Normal breathing (age > 35)
    C-2 – Abnormal breathing
    C-3 – Cocaine or Drug Use
    C-4 – Cardiac History
    D-1 – Severe respiratory distress
    D-2 – Not Alert
    D-3 – Sweaty or changing color
11. Choking
    A-1 – No longer choking (can talk or cry, or is alert and breathing normally)
    D-1 – Choking
    D-2 – Abnormal breathing
    D-3 – Not alert
    E-1 – Choking Verified/Ineffective Breathing
12. Convulsions/Seizures
    A-1 – Breathing now physically verified by caller
    B-1 – Age < 35 (breathing not verified)
    C-1 – Pregnancy
    C-2 – Trauma
    C-3 – Diabetic
    C-4 – Cardiac History
    D-1 – Continuous or multiple seizures
    D-2 – Age > 35 (breathing not verified)
    D-3 – Not breathing (verified)
13. Diabetic Problems
    A-1 – Conscious and alert
    C-1 – Conscious but not alert
    C-2 – Conscious with abnormal breathing
    D-1 – Unconscious
14. Drowning (near) / Diving Accident
    A-1 – Alert and breathing normally (no injuries and out of water)
    B-1 – Alert and breathing normally (injuries and/or in water)
    B-2 – Unknown status (3rd party situation)
    C-1 – Alert with abnormal breathing
    D-1 – Unconscious
    D-2 – Not breathing or still underwater
    D-3 – Not alert and/or abnormal breathing
    D-4 – Suspected neck injury
    D-5 – Diving or SCUBA Diving accident
15. Electrocution
    C-1 – Alert and breathing normally
    D-1 – Unconscious
    D-2 – Not disconnected from power source
    D-3 – Power not off/hazard present
    D-4 – Not alert
    D-5 – Abnormal breathing
    D-6 – Long fall (> 6 ft./2m.)
    D-7 – Unknown status (3rd party situation)
    E-1 – Not Breathing/Ineffective Breathing
16. Eye problems / Eye injuries
    A-1 – Moderate eye injury
    A-2 – Minor eye injury
    B-1 – Severe eye injuries
    D-1 – Not alert
17. Falls / Back injuries (traumatic)
    A-1 – Not dangerous injuries
    A-2 – Non-recent injuries (> 6 hrs.)
    B-1 – Possible dangerous injuries
    B-2 – Serious hemorrhage
    B-3 – Unknown injuries (3rd party situation)
    D-1 – Dangerous injuries
    D-2 – Long fall (> 6 ft./2 m.)
    D-3 – Not alert
    D-4 – Abnormal breathing
18. Headache
    A-1 – Headache only (without prior symptoms)
    C-1 – Not alert
    C-2 – Numbness or paralysis
    C-3 – Speech or movement problems
    C-4 – Sudden onset of severe pain
    C-5 – Recent head injuries (< 24 hrs.)
19. Cardiac (Heart) Problems
    A-1 – Heart rate < 130 (without prior symptoms)
    B-1 – Unknown symptoms
    C-1 – Not alert
    C-2 – Cardiac History
    C-3 – Heart rate >130 (without prior symptoms)
    C-4 – Cocaine / Substance Use
    D-1 – Firing of implanted defibrillator
20. Environmental Heat / Cold exposure
    A-1 – Alert (without prior symptoms)
    B-1 – Change in skin color
    B-2 – Unknown symptoms (3rd party situation)
    C-1 – Cardiac History
    D-1 – Not alert
21. Hemorrhage / lacerations
    A-1 – Not dangerous hemorrhage
    B-1 – Possibly dangerous hemorrhage
    D-1 – Dangerous hemorrhage
    D-2 – Not alert
    D-3 – Severe respiratory distress
22. Industrial / machinery accidents
    B-1 – Unknown illness or injuries (not caught in machinery)
    D-1 – Multiple victims
    D-2 – Trapped or caught in machinery (unknown injuries)
    D-3 – Life status questionable
23. Overdose / ingestion / poisoning
    A-1 – Conscious and alert (age 1 though 11 years)
    B-1 – Conscious and alert ( age < 1 or > 12 years)
    C-1 – Not alert (unable to talk)
    C-2 – Abnormal breathing
    C-3 – Antidepressants (tricylic)
    C-4 – Cocaine / Drug Use
    C-5 – Acid or lye (alkali)
    C-6 – Violent Behavior
    D-1 – Unconscious
    D-2 – Severe respiratory distress
24. Pregnancy / childbirth / miscarriage
    A-1 – 1st trimester bleeding or miscarriage
    A-2 – Illness during pregnancy (without priority symptoms)
    B-1 – Labor (delivery not imminent 2nd/3rd trimester)
    B-2 – Unknown pregnancy problems (3rd party situation)
    C-1 – 2nd trimester bleeding or miscarriage
    D-1 – Baby born
    D-2 – Baby’s head visible (crowning)
    D-3 – Imminent delivery (3rd trimester)
    D-4 – 3rd trimester bleeding
    D-5 – Breach (hand / foot) presentation
25. Psychiatric emergency/suicide attempt
    A-1 – Non-violent and non-suicidal (alert)
    B-1 – Unknown symptoms (3rd party situation)
    C-1 – Not alert
    C-2 – Violent Behavior
    C-3 – Suicidal (threatening)
    D-1 – Hanging, strangulation, or suffocation
26. Sick person (specific diagnosis)
    A-1 – No priority symptoms
    A-2 – Non-priority complaints
    B-1 – Unknown symptoms (3rd party situation)
    C-1 – Not alert
    C-2 – Cardiac history
    2 Boils | 3 Bumps | 4 Can’t Sleep | 5 Can’t Urinate (Without Abdominal Pain) | 6 Urinary Catheter (in/out without hemorrhaging) | 7 Constipation | 8 Cramps/Spasms (In Extremities) | 9 Cut Off Ring Request | 10 Deafness | 11 Defecation | 12 Earache | 13 Enema | 14 Gout | 15 Hemorrhoids/piles | 16 Hepatitis | 17 Hiccups | 18 Hungry | 19 Nervous | 20 Object Stuck In (Nose,Ear,Vagina,Rectum,Penis,Eye) | 21 Object Swallowed (No Difficulty Breathing or Swallowing) | 22 Penis Problem/pain | 23 Rash/Skin Disorder (No difficulty breathing or swallowing) | 24 Shore Throat (No difficulty breathing or swallowing) | 25 Toothache | 26 Transportation Only | 27 Venereal Disease (STD) | 28 Wound Infection (Focal or Surface)
27. Knife / Gunshot wound
    A-1 – Non-recent single peripheral wound (> 6 hrs)
    B-1 – Known single peripheral wound
    B-2 – Non-recent single central wound (> 6 hrs)
    B-3 – Unknown situation (3rd party)
    D-1 – Central wounds
    D-2 – Multiple victims
    D-3 – Not alert
    D-4 – Multiple wounds
28. Stroke (CVA)
    A-1 – Alert and breathing normally (numbness, speech or movement problems may be present)
    B-1 – Unknown situation (3rd party situation)
    C-1 – Not alert
    C-2 – Abnormal breathing
29. Traffic accidents
    A-1 – 1st party caller without dangerous injuries
    B-1 – Injuries
    B-2 – Unknown situation
    D-1 – Multiple victims: A – Aircraft | B – Bus | C – Subway/Metro | D – Railroad | E – Watercraft
    D-2 – Automobile-Pedestrian/Motorcycle/Bicycle: A – All-Terrain Vehicle | B – Motor Vehicle vs. Bicycle/Motorcycle | C – Motor Vehicle vs. Pedestrian | D – Ejection from Vehicle | E – Personal Watercraft | F – Vehicle Rollover | G – Vehicle over Bridge
    D-3 – Hazardous Materials Involved
    D-4 – Trapped Victim
    D-5 – Ejected Victim
    D-6 – Not alert
    D-7 – Severe respiratory distress
30. Traumatic injuries, specific
    A-1 – Not dangerous injuries
    A-2 – Non-recent injuries (> 6 hrs)
    B-1 – Possibly dangerous injuries
    B-2 – Serious hemorrhage
    D-1 – Dangerous injuries
    D-2 – Severe respiratory distress D-3 – Not alert
31. Unconscious / fainting (non-traumatic)
    A-1 – Single fainting episode and alert (age < 35)
    A-2 – Near fainting episode and alert (age < 35)
    C-1 – Single or near fainting episode and alert
    C-2 – Multiple fainting episodes
    C-3 – Females with abdominal pain (ages 12-50)
    C-4 – Conscious with abnormal breathing
    C-5 – Cardiac history
    D-1 – Unconscious
    D-2 – Severe respiratory distress
    D-3 – Not alert
    E-1 – Ineffective Breathing
32. Unknown Problem (Subject Down)
    B-1 – Standing, sitting up, moving or talking
    B-2 – Medical alert notifications
    B-3 – Unknown situation (3rd party)
    D-1 – Life status questionable
33. Inter-Facility Transfer/Palliative Care
34. Automatic Crash Notification (A.C.N.)
35. HCP (Health-Care Practitioner) Referral
36. Flu-Like Symptoms (Possible H1N1)
37. Inter-Facility Transfer specific to medically-trained callers