Walking wounded → green (minor). Not breathing after airway opened → black (expectant).
Before you read
Test yourself first: 5 questions
Question 1 of 5
Pediatric triage at a multiple-casualty incident differs from adult triage mainly because a child:
Answer: A. Children arrest from respiratory causes far more often than adults, so a brief trial of ventilation can move an apneic child out of the expectant group — which is why pediatric triage adds that step. Automatic categories and weight-based tagging would abandon assessment as the basis for triage.
Question 2 of 5
Under the incident command system, who is responsible for the overall management of the scene?
Answer: A. The incident commander has overall authority for the incident and assigns roles such as triage, treatment and transport. Every responder reports through that structure so resources are not wasted and no one freelances. The triage officer runs only the sorting of patients.
Question 3 of 5
The primary purpose of an incident command system at a multiple-casualty incident is to:
Answer: A. ICS exists so that responsibility and communication run through one structure instead of several agencies improvising in parallel. It coordinates triage rather than replacing it — the triage still has to happen, and ICS is what makes sure someone owns it.
Question 4 of 5
At a mass-casualty incident you are an AEMT assigned to START triage. A walking-wounded patient has a small forearm laceration and asks for an IV for pain. What should you do?
Answer: A. Triage is limited to rapid sorting and a few lifesaving interventions such as opening an airway or controlling major bleeding. Time spent on an IV is time taken from patients who have not yet been found, so vascular access happens in the treatment area. Over-triaging to justify an intervention distorts resource use for the entire incident.
Question 5 of 5
At a multiple-casualty incident, the transport officer's role is to:
Answer: A. The transport officer tracks available ambulances and hospital capacity and sends each patient to an appropriate facility so that no single hospital is overwhelmed. Sorting belongs to the triage officer, care to the treatment officer, and media to the public information officer.
Keep the streak going with more questions like these, each with a full rationale.
Key points to remember
- Walking wounded → green (minor). Not breathing after airway opened → black (expectant).
- START red if breathing over 30, no radial pulse or capillary refill over 2 seconds, or cannot follow commands.
- JumpSTART (children): apneic with a pulse → 5 rescue breaths; red if breathing under 15 or over 45.
- Only quick lifesaving acts during triage: open the airway, control major bleeding.
- Colors: red immediate, yellow delayed, green minor, black expectant or dead.
Field priorities
- First arriving unit establishes command and requests resources.
- Re-triage patients repeatedly — conditions change.
- Do not stop to perform CPR during an MCI triage sweep.
Coaching the patient
- SALT: Sort, Assess, Lifesaving interventions, Treatment and/or transport.
Red flags: act now
- A 'green' patient who deteriorates
- Hazardous material or a second device on scene
- Freelancing outside the incident command system
Triage & MCI: FAQs
What are the priority actions for Triage & MCI in the field?
First arriving unit establishes command and requests resources. Re-triage patients repeatedly — conditions change. Do not stop to perform CPR during an MCI triage sweep.
What findings in Triage & MCI change your plan or your transport decision?
A 'green' patient who deteriorates. Hazardous material or a second device on scene. Freelancing outside the incident command system.
What do I need to know about Triage & MCI for the NREMT?
Walking wounded → green (minor). Not breathing after airway opened → black (expectant). START red if breathing over 30, no radial pulse or capillary refill over 2 seconds, or cannot follow commands. JumpSTART (children): apneic with a pulse → 5 rescue breaths; red if breathing under 15 or over 45. Only quick lifesaving acts during triage: open the airway, control major bleeding.
What should the crew communicate or document for Triage & MCI?
SALT: Sort, Assess, Lifesaving interventions, Treatment and/or transport.
