Disaster Management Practice Questions

Q: After a mass accident on national highway a 20 years old male was brought with following finding what is the color coding according to triage?

Yellow. ***Yellow*** - Defined as the **delayed** category, it is assigned to patients who have serious but non-life-threatening injuries, such as stable **fractures** or minor burns, that do not require immediate intervention. - These patients can wait for medical treatment for a short period, as their condition is stable and unlikely to deteriorate rapidly, provided they are reassessed periodically. *Red* - Designated as the **immediate** category for patients with life-threatening injuries, such as **airway obstruction**, severe hemorrhage, or **shock**, who require rapid stabilization. - This color is reserved for patients for whom an intervention will likely result in a significant improvement in outcome within a short period. *Black* - Represents the **expectant** or deceased category, assigned to victims who have sustained injuries incompatible with life, such as **massive head trauma** or **cardiac arrest**. - Resources are not expended on these individuals during a mass casualty incident because their clinical status indicates a poor prognosis despite intervention. *Green* - Known as the **minor** or walking wounded category, assigned to patients with superficial injuries like **abrasions** or minor lacerations who can ambulate themselves. - These individuals are capable of self-care and do not require urgent medical attention, allowing providers to focus on more critically injured patients.

Q: According to ICRC guidelines, which color code is used for tagging dead victims in mass disaster triage?

Black. ***Black*** - In the **ICRC triage system**, the color **black** is specifically designated for victims who are **deceased** or have injuries that are non-compatible with life. - Using this tag allows responders to focus limited resources on surviving victims who have a higher chance of recovery. *Green* - This category is used for the **'walking wounded'** who have minor injuries and do not require immediate surgical or medical intervention. - These patients are usually stable and their treatment can be **significantly delayed** without risk to life or limb. *Red* - This color code signifies **Priority 1 (Immediate)** patients who require life-saving interventions within minutes to survive. - It is used for victims with **life-threatening emergencies** such as airway obstruction, tension pneumothorax, or severe uncontrolled hemorrhage. *Yellow* - This category represents **Priority 2 (Delayed)** victims who require urgent care but are currently **stable** and do not face immediate death. - Examples include victims with **large bone fractures** or deep lacerations that require surgery but can wait a few hours while more critical cases are stabilized.

Q: All of the following are important and potential agents which can be used for bioterrorism, except:

Tuberculosis. **Explanation:** Bioterrorism involves the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or toxins to cause illness or death. The CDC categorizes these agents based on their potential for mass casualties and ease of dissemination. **Why Tuberculosis (D) is the correct answer:** Tuberculosis (TB) is **not** considered an effective bioterrorism agent. For a pathogen to be used in bioterrorism, it must have a rapid onset of action and high infectivity. TB has a very long incubation period (weeks to months) and a chronic disease course. It does not cause the immediate mass panic or acute healthcare system collapse required for a strategic biological attack. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Smallpox (A):** A **Category A** agent. It is highly contagious, has a high mortality rate, and since routine vaccination has ceased, the global population is highly susceptible. * **Plague (B):** Caused by *Yersinia pestis*, it is a **Category A** agent. If aerosolized, it causes pneumonic plague, which is nearly 100% fatal if untreated and spreads rapidly from person to person. * **Botulism (C):** Caused by the toxin of *Clostridium botulinum*, it is a **Category A** agent. It is the most lethal toxin known; a very small amount can cause widespread respiratory failure and death. **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **CDC Category A Agents (The "Big Six"):** Anthrax (*B. anthracis*), Botulism, Plague, Smallpox, Tularemia, and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (e.g., Ebola, Marburg). * **Category B Agents:** These are moderately easy to spread and have low mortality (e.g., *Brucellosis*, Q fever, Ricin toxin, *Vibrio cholerae*). * **Category C Agents:** Emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination (e.g., Hantavirus, Nipah virus).

Q: What is the most common epidemic after a disaster?

Gastroenteritis. **Explanation:** The most common epidemic following a disaster is **Gastroenteritis** (Option A). This is primarily due to the immediate and widespread disruption of basic sanitary infrastructure. Disasters—especially floods and earthquakes—lead to the contamination of drinking water sources with sewage and the breakdown of food hygiene. Overcrowding in temporary shelters further facilitates the fecal-oral transmission of pathogens like *Vibrio cholerae*, *Salmonella*, and *Norovirus*. **Analysis of Options:** * **Respiratory Infections (Option B):** While common in overcrowded relief camps (e.g., Acute Respiratory Infections), they typically rank second to water-borne diseases in the immediate post-disaster phase. * **Wound Infections (Option C):** These are common individual complications following trauma (e.g., crush injuries in earthquakes), but they do not typically manifest as "epidemics" involving the general population. * **Leptospirosis (Option D):** This is a specific risk following floods (zoonotic transmission via rodent urine), but its incidence is much lower compared to the universal occurrence of diarrheal diseases. **High-Yield NEET-PG Pearls:** * **First Priority in Disaster:** Search, rescue, and first aid. * **Most common cause of post-disaster death:** Diarrheal diseases (Gastroenteritis). * **Triage:** The process of rapidly classifying victims to maximize survivors. * **Tag Colors:** Red (High priority/Immediate), Yellow (Medium priority/Delayed), Green (Ambulatory/Minor), Black (Dead/Moribund). * **Chlorination:** The most important single measure to prevent post-disaster epidemics is ensuring a safe water supply (target residual chlorine: 0.5 mg/L).

Question 1

After a mass accident on national highway a 20 years old male was brought with following finding what is the color coding according to triage?

Accepted Answer

Yellow

Answer

Red

Answer

Black

Answer

Green

Question 2

According to ICRC guidelines, which color code is used for tagging dead victims in mass disaster triage?

Accepted Answer

Black

Answer

Green

Answer

Red

Answer

Yellow

Question 3

All of the following are important and potential agents which can be used for bioterrorism, except:

Accepted Answer

Tuberculosis

Answer

Smallpox

Answer

Plague

Answer

Botulism

Question 4

What is the most common epidemic after a disaster?

Accepted Answer

Gastroenteritis

Answer

Respiratory infection

Answer

Wound infection

Answer

Leptospirosis

Question 5

Which color represents a medium priority code in triage?

Accepted Answer

Yellow

Answer

Red

Answer

Green

Answer

Blue

Disaster Management — MCQs

Disaster Management — MCQs

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