Mass Casualty Management

Mass Casualty Management

Mass Casualty Management

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MCI Basics & Triage - Sorting the Chaos

  • Mass Casualty Incident (MCI): Needs overwhelm resources. Goal: Maximize survivors.
  • Triage: Sorts & prioritizes care by severity, survivability.
  • Systems:
    • START: Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment.
    • SALT: Sort, Assess, Lifesaving Interventions, Treatment/Transport.
  • START Categories (Tags):
    • 🔴 Red (Immediate): Life-threatening, treatable (airway, shock; or 📌 RPM: RR >30/min, CR >2s, no commands).
    • 🟡 Yellow (Delayed): Serious, can wait.
    • 🟢 Green (Minor): Walking wounded.
    • Black (Expectant): Deceased or unsurvivable.

⭐ In START triage, 'Yellow' tag (Delayed) is for casualties with systemic but not immediately life-threatening injuries who can wait 45-60 minutes.

Command & Control - Who's the Boss?

  • Incident Command System (ICS): Standardized, on-scene management framework.
    • Ensures interoperability & accountability.
  • Incident Commander (IC): Single point of command; overall authority & responsibility.
    • Typically senior, most experienced responder on scene.
  • Key ICS Structure:
    • Command Staff: Public Information Officer (PIO), Safety Officer, Liaison Officer.
    • General Staff Sections (📌 FLOP):
      • Finance/Administration: Tracks costs, resources.
      • Logistics: Provides personnel, equipment, supplies.
      • Operations: Manages tactical activities.
      • Planning: Develops Incident Action Plan (IAP).
  • Unity of Command: Report to ONE supervisor.
  • Span of Control: Manageable; typically 3-7 subordinates (optimum 5).

⭐ The Incident Command System (ICS) ensures a standardized approach, with the Incident Commander (IC) having ultimate authority and responsibility.

Incident Command System Structure

Treatment & Transport - Heal and Haul

  • Treatment Aims: Rapid stabilization, life-saving interventions (LSIs) by triage category.
    • Red (T1): Secure Airway, Breathing support, Control major Bleeding (ABC).
    • Yellow (T2): Splint fractures, wound care, analgesia; prepare for later surgery.
    • Green (T3): Basic first aid, reassurance; encourage self/buddy care.
    • Black (T4): Palliative care, dignity, pain management.
  • Core Interventions:
    • Airway: Jaw thrust, OPA/NPA.
    • Breathing: Oxygen, needle/finger thoracostomy for tension pneumothorax.
    • Circulation: IV/IO access, permissive hypotension, early blood products.

    ⭐ Damage Control Resuscitation (DCR) and Damage Control Surgery (DCS) are key strategies in MCI to rapidly stabilize exsanguinating patients for later definitive care.

  • Transport Logistics:
    • Evacuation priority: Red → Yellow → Green.
    • Communication with hospitals vital.
    • Patient tracking essential. Loading patient into ambulance during mass casualty drill

Special Scenarios & Aftermath - Beyond the Basics

  • CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive) Incidents:
    • ⚠️ Scene safety is paramount; specialized PPE required. Do not enter unsafe zones without training.
    • Decontamination: essential first step; prevents secondary contamination.

    ⭐ For CBRNE incidents, the principle of 'hot, warm, cold zones' dictates decontamination and treatment flow to prevent spread and protect healthcare providers.

    • Antidotes: e.g., Atropine/Pralidoxime for nerve agents; N-acetylcysteine for phosgene.
  • Psychological Impact & Support:
    • High risk: Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), PTSD in victims & responders.
    • Interventions: Psychological First Aid (PFA) for early support.
    • Responders: Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD/CISM).
  • Post-Incident Operations & Recovery:
    • Debriefing: operational (lessons learned) & psychological.
    • Documentation: vital for legal, epidemiological, and research purposes.
    • Disaster Victim Identification (DVI): Interpol guidelines.
    • Resource management: stock replenishment, long-term care planning.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Triage (S.T.A.R.T./JumpS.T.A.R.T.) is crucial for prioritizing victims by injury severity.
  • Color codes (Red: Immediate, Yellow: Delayed, Green: Minor, Black: Expectant) dictate treatment urgency.
  • Incident Command System (ICS) structures on-scene management and resource allocation.
  • Clear communication between responders and hospitals is vital for coordination.
  • Decontamination is essential in HazMat/CBRNE incidents before medical treatment.
  • Hospital surge capacity plans are critical for managing patient influx.
  • Promptly address psychological needs of victims and responders.

Practice Questions: Mass Casualty Management

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ICD-10 chapter 1 describes?

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Flashcards: Mass Casualty Management

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The primary cause of early mortality in burns is _____

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

The primary cause of early mortality in burns is _____

burn shock.

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