What triage system is used for mass casualty incidents to rapidly categorize patients?

What triage system is used for mass casualty incidents to rapidly categorize patients?

• A. START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) method
• B. SALT (Sort, Assess, Lifesaving Interventions, Treatment)
• C. ABCDE triage
• D. MASCAL triage

Answer: (A)

Mass casualty triage relies on a fast, standardized way to sort many patients by urgency. START does exactly that by using simple on-scene checks to quickly group people into four categories. First, you see who can walk on their own; those who can walk are tagged green, meaning minor injuries and can wait. For those who can’t walk, you open the airway and check if they’re breathing. If they aren’t, they’re classified as black (deceased or unsalvageable on scene) because there’s no viable rescue given the rapid on-scene conditions. If they are breathing, you count breaths; if more than about 30 per minute, they’re red (immediate life threats). If breathing is under that rate, you check circulation by feeling for a pulse or looking at capillary refill. No pulse or delayed perfusion means red. If a pulse exists with good perfusion, the patient goes yellow (delayed). This method is designed for speed and simplicity, enabling responders to rapidly identify the most critical needs and move on to treat others, which is why it’s the standard choice for rapid triage in mass casualty incidents. Other options describe different assessment frameworks or triage concepts (for example, broader trauma assessment methods or military-style terms) and don’t fit the quick, four-category approach START provides.