Archived Code Yellow, Code Yellow, Code Yellow

[STLinMaking]

Okay, so I got into a semi heated argument with my STL and ETL-HR about Code Yellows today..... We had one were a 5 year old went missing for 15 minutes, until she was found outside of our store in the connecting Mall.
So question(s) for the forum:
1) When a Code Yellow is called what channel does everyone go to? or do you guys stay on Channel 1?
2) What do you all think a reasonable amount of time that should pass before you call the Police. I was on the phone with the police when my STL was yelling at me saying it was to early to call them. Mind you this was 10 minutes into it and I felt I should have called earlier.

My STL said he would have to "Pull Best Practice" and my response to that was Best Practice says nothing about either and it's up to the ERT to make decisions like that......... ugh... Stressed out..
Thoughts Opinions??!!??!

 

[Varking]

At my store we switch to channel 2 and I'd call at the ten minute mark too.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Okay, so I got into a semi heated argument with my STL and ETL-HR about Code Yellows today..... We had one were a 5 year old went missing for 15 minutes, until she was found outside of our store in the connecting Mall.
So question(s) for the forum:
1) When a Code Yellow is called what channel does everyone go to? or do you guys stay on Channel 1?
2) What do you all think a reasonable amount of time that should pass before you call the Police. I was on the phone with the police when my STL was yelling at me saying it was to early to call them. Mind you this was 10 minutes into it and I felt I should have called earlier.

My STL said he would have to "Pull Best Practice" and my response to that was Best Practice says nothing about either and it's up to the ERT to make decisions like that......... ugh... Stressed out..
Thoughts Opinions??!!??!

At our store we all go to channel one.

I would say 10 minutes is defiantly a reasonable amount of time. At my last store we called after 7 minutes had passed.

 

[dek067]

refer to the alert one flip chart. it should tell you.
all communication takes place on one at my store for codes. why go to two? everyone will just flip over to 2 and the guests will hear it anyway. you want as many tm to get the info as possible.

 

[STLinMaking]

refer to the alert one flip chart. it should tell you.
all communication takes place on one at my store for codes. why go to two? everyone will just flip over to 2 and the guests will hear it anyway. you want as many tm to get the info as possible.

Well, the Flip chart is of no use! It actually states, direction will be given by the Emergency response team. The only reason I would suggest to go to a different channel would be to not be interrupted by call boxes and in our stores back room is on Channel 2. So if we went to two we could keep the back room informed at the same time.

My STL says that I shouldn't call until 15 mins? what the hell is that......... If a kidnapper knows his window is going to be short, he's gonna have a plan..

 

[redeye58]

We always stayed on 1 &, as soon as code yellow was called, all extraneous chatter stopped until the all-clear.
When we had a code green, we switched to 4 because I was with the guest giving info & vitals to an hrtm who was on the phone with an EMS dispatcher who passed the data to the responding unit. ETLs went out to flag down EMS.

 

[stupid rules]

We used to stay on channel 1 but now we all go to channel 3 or 4. I believe after 10 or 15 minutes (if that long) that AP takes over and either calls the police or breaks out their swat gear or posts ninjas at the doors.

 

[TheWanderer]

We always stay on our regular channel, just so all the TMs can hear it. If the ERT shouldn't be worried about giving a potential kidnapper a tip-off about a missing kids; that's why you're supposed to post TMs at any exits during the Code Yellow, so nobody can walk out with the kid unnoticed.

We've never had one go so long that we needed to call 911, so I don't know what our store's policy is. I just know I wouldn't want to be the one to tell the parent that we had to wait until 15 minutes before we could do anything, though.

 

[StaticSun]

We switch to channel 2 at our store, to keep call boxes and other extra chatter to a minimum. GSA/TL/ETL will cover the exit, while AP/TLs/ETLs start searching whatever area of the store they're in. We've never had a code yellow go on for more than a few minutes.

Called a code green today. We all stayed on 1, and information was relayed to the ETLs that way.

 

[missionimpossible]

refer to the alert one flip chart. it should tell you.
all communication takes place on one at my store for codes. why go to two? everyone will just flip over to 2 and the guests will hear it anyway. you want as many tm to get the info as possible.

We go to two because the backroom is on two.

 

[Target Annie]

step 1. Etl is right

step 2. if you are confused, refer to step one.

sarcasm intended

 

[HardlinesFour]

We always stay on our regular channel, just so all the TMs can hear it. If the ERT shouldn't be worried about giving a potential kidnapper a tip-off about a missing kids; that's why you're supposed to post TMs at any exits during the Code Yellow, so nobody can walk out with the kid unnoticed.

We've never had one go so long that we needed to call 911, so I don't know what our store's policy is. I just know I wouldn't want to be the one to tell the parent that we had to wait until 15 minutes before we could do anything, though.

At the last store I worked at, we had a lock down for almost 40 minutes. One lady's daughter walked away and left our store. We called police and they begun searching some stores in our shopping center. Our LOD even allowed some employees to leave the store and help look. Eventually, our cart attendant found her in old navy.....

 

[StaticSun]

I didn't know an LOD could order a "lockdown" of the store..?

 

[HardlinesFour]

I didn't know an LOD could order a "lockdown" of the store..?

Not lockdown, but we had team members standing by the doors blocking people from leaving. During code yellow, normally the lod has control over the search. There also the only designated person that can clear a code yellow.

 

[MrMrIce]

I can't get how a parent loses their kid in the first place. If I go shopping and I bring my kid with me, I'm sure as hell going to keep them in my sights at all time knowing the dangers.

 

[Retail Girl]

Kids are fast. It only takes turning around for a second for a kid to make a break for the toy aisle. This is especially true if you have more than one kid.

 

[cihyfthedoor]

Was really pissed earlier this week. Some woman lost her kid, so we were trying to get the kid's details (through very broken English), but she had NO ****ING IDEA WHAT HER G***AMN KID LOOKED LIKE. She didn't know what color shirt he was wearing - she said three different colors, but wasn't sure which one. Didn't know what kind of bottoms he was wearing or what color they were. We can't ****ing help you if you don't pay any g***amn attention to what your kid LOOKS LIKE.

He was found within 5 minutes, but F***. It was so frustrating and maddening and angering because THE WHOLE ****ING TIME she kept turning her head away and covering her mouth while giggling. ARE YOU ****ING SERIOUS, your kid being lost and you not knowing what the f*** they look like is FUNNY? God I wanted to knock her on her ****ing ass. Every other parent I know has a photographic memory when it comes to that, even the ones that can't remember what their PIN number is or which way to move the turn signal stalk to turn in the proper direction - you bet your ass they know what their kid is wearing - size, shape, color.

 

[STLinMaking]

Not lockdown, but we had team members standing by the doors blocking people from leaving. During code yellow, normally the lod has control over the search. There also the only designated person that can clear a code yellow.

We do have the power to lock to the store down if we had too, but not many instances where we would.....

 

[averyc]

At my store we go to channel 2 to avoid the call boxes going off and backroom is on two also.

The only time we had a lock down was during a storm.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

At my store, we say go to channel 2 for info, after directing tm's to cover the doors. Only lod can say code yellow is cleared on walkie.

 

[xxTheDudexx]

At my store we switch to channel 2 and I'd call at the ten minute mark too.

My STL told me to switch to channel 3 so the backroom can hear about it too when I went to channel 2 on my first code yellow. Probably depends on your STL's preferences.

 

[mrknownothing]

We had a Code Yellow at my store the other day and everyone stayed on 1. I'm gonna take a wild guess that LOD had Backroom switch to 1.

 

[buliSBI]

Channel 1 every TM should be hear all details. As for calling 911, all doors should be covered with the rest of the team checking restrooms and all aisles. And the AP/ETL with parent(s) should walk the store a couple times before calling.

 

[GlobalTM]

Just called my first a few weeks ago. Had a mother come up to me telling me she had lost her son (around 11 years old or so). I asked her for the details, to which she told me he wore glasses, was 11, & had dark hair. I asked what he was wearing & she had no clue. I asked where he was last seen or where he was last with her & she told me he was heading back toward toys/electronics. I take what little info, call the code yellow, everyone scrambles & stays on channel 1 (we always stay on 1), then proceed to all walk the store for a good 20 minutes. YES, 20 minutes. The woman tried to keep me from calling the code yellow, but I told her I had to. Come to find out, it was the mother who walked away from the child, who remained in SOFTLINES, where she left the cart. This kid actually stayed with the cart, while she roamed off. After he was found & everything went back to normal, we all talked about how scary it was that it went on for 20 minutes. I'm not sure where he was, but he was pushing the cart & was found over in ready to wear in SL. It's the longest code yellow we've had.

After everything went back to normal, I joked with them about how we need a another "code" for missing parents, to which we all agreed. lol

I will say that I think we were on the verge of calling the police, we just wanted to sweep the store to make sure. I helped walk the store & had to corral the mother to have her stay up front. She kept insisting on walking back to toys to see if he was there. I told her I had just come from there (literally) & he was nowhere to be seen back there).

 

[salesfloor10]

Channel 1 every TM should be hear all details. As for calling 911, all doors should be covered with the rest of the team checking restrooms and all aisles. And the AP/ETL with parent(s) should walk the store a couple times before calling.

well if orientation videos are "best practice" this is what they did in the video. (just had orientation today )