Disaster and Multi-Casualty Triage

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Describe the key elements of Triage Understand the basic principles of the

START method of triage

Working Multiple- or Mass-Casualty Incidents

Report to the incident commander before going to work

Do a proper size up Clearly and accurately report the situation

Working Multiple- or Mass-Casualty Incidents

Note the following: Approximate number of patients Numbers that you've triaged into the four

levels Additional assistance required Other important information

TRIAGE

French word for SORT Concept of triage:

Method of quickly identifying victims: who have immediately life-threatening injuries who have the best chance of surviving

Triage Tags

Delayed care / can delay up to three hours

Urgent care / can delay up to one hour

Immediate care / life-threatening

Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment (START) Developed by Hoag Hospital & the Newport Fire

Department (Newport Beach, CA) Helps prepare to quickly organize resources to

handle multi-casualty emergencies

Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment ( START) system to triage multiple victims in 30

seconds or less based on three primary observations

(RPM): Respiration Perfusion Mental Status

First Step in START

Tell all the people who can get up and walk to move to a specific area

If they can get up and walk, they are probably not at risk of immediate death

Tag them -

Second Step in START

Begin by moving from where you stand Move in an orderly and systematic manner

through the remaining victims Stopping at each person for a quick

assessment and tagging The stop at each patient should never take

more than one minute

START

REMEMBER: Your job is to find and tag the  patients -- those who require immediate attention Examine, correct life-threatening airway,

breathing problems, tag and MOVE ON!

Triage in Hazardous Materials Incidents Responders must protect themselves from

injury and contamination IF THERE IS ANY SUSPICION OF A

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILL - STAY AWAY!

REMEMBER: Contaminated patients will contaminate unprotected rescuers!

VIDEO CLIP

SUMMARY

Understand the principles and operations behind the casualty sorting system

START system is an excellent and easily understood triage or casualty sorting method

Participate in periodic community disaster drills so that skills and capabilities can be tested and improved

SUMMARY

You Should Know: Your role at multiple- or mass-casualty

incidents How to use the START system How to recognize a hazardous materials

placard

SUMMARY

You Should Practice: Using the START system during a simulated

multiple- or mass-casualty incident

REMEMBER

Triage is: Method of quickly identifying

Victims who have immediately life-threatening injuries And who have the best chance of surviving

Key elements of the START triage system: Respiration Perfusion Mental Status

PowerPoint Source

http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/training_downloads.shtm