What does Code 4 status indicate about unit readiness?

• A. Units are en route with lights and sirens.
• B. Units are staged.
• C. Incident canceled or no incident; units return to service.
• D. Units are on scene.

Answer: (C)

Code 4 means there is no active incident and units are back in service. This status shows that the area is clear or the call was canceled, so the units that were engaged are now released and available for future assignments. It’s a signal of readiness in the sense that those units are not tied up with a current emergency.

This contrasts with en route or on scene statuses, which indicate units are actively responding or already engaged at a location, and with staged status, where units are waiting in a ready position for a potential assignment. Code 4 effectively communicates that there is no ongoing need for fire/EMS resources at the moment.