Emergency Responses and Disaster Preparedness
Triage Protocols (START Method)
The Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) method is used to prioritize victims during mass casualty incidents.
Assessment Categories
- Green: Walking wounded (minor injuries)
- Yellow: Delayed (serious but stable)
- Red: Immediate (life-threatening airway/breathing/perfusion issues)
- Black: Deceased or expectant (no pulse/respirations after airway repositioning)
Prioritization Rules
- Check respirations: If >30/min, tag Red; if absent, reposition airway; if still absent, tag Black.
- Check perfusion: Radial pulse absent or cap refill >2 seconds, tag Red.
- Check mental status: Unable to follow simple commands, tag Red.
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