Disaster Management Practice Questions

Q: During a disaster, rapidly classifying the injured on the basis of likelihood of their survival with prompt medical intervention, is a part of which process?

Triage. **Explanation:** **1. Why Triage is Correct:** Triage is the process of rapidly screening and classifying sick or injured persons during a disaster based on the **severity of their condition** and their **likelihood of survival** with immediate medical intervention. The primary objective is to "do the greatest good for the largest number of people" by prioritizing those who are salvageable but require urgent care over those who are either minorly injured or beyond help. **2. Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Search, Rescue, and First Aid:** This is the immediate field response aimed at locating victims and providing basic life-saving measures (e.g., stopping hemorrhage) before they are formally categorized for transport. * **Tagging:** This is a *component* of triage, not the process itself. Tagging involves using color-coded cards (Red, Yellow, Green, Black) to identify the priority assigned to a patient after they have been triaged. * **Disaster Mitigation:** This refers to long-term measures taken *before* a disaster occurs to reduce its impact (e.g., building earthquake-resistant structures or improving legislation). **3. High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Color Coding in Triage:** * **Red (High Priority):** Immediate resuscitation needed (e.g., airway obstruction, tension pneumothorax). * **Yellow (Medium Priority):** Urgent but can wait 1–6 hours (e.g., stable fractures). * **Green (Low Priority):** "Walking wounded"; minor injuries. * **Black (Dead/Moribund):** Deceased or injuries so severe they are unlikely to survive even with care. * **Blue Tag:** Sometimes used for patients needing intensive care but with a low chance of survival (used in some protocols between Red and Black). * **Triage Sieve:** The initial rapid assessment used to separate the dead/dying from the living.

Q: According to the most common internationally accepted classification of the Triage system, which color code indicates high priority treatment or transfer?

Red. **Explanation:** Triage is the process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition to maximize the number of survivors during a mass casualty incident (MCI). The most widely accepted international system is the **color-coded tagging system**. **Why Red is Correct:** The **Red Tag (Priority I)** indicates "Immediate" care. These patients have life-threatening injuries but a high probability of survival if treated immediately. Examples include airway obstruction, tension pneumothorax, or uncontrolled external hemorrhage. They are the highest priority for treatment and transport. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Yellow (Priority II):** Indicates "Delayed" care. These patients have serious but stable injuries (e.g., large bone fractures without shock). They can wait 1–2 hours for treatment. * **Black (Priority 0/IV):** Indicates "Dead or Moribund." These patients are either deceased or have injuries so severe (e.g., exposed brain matter) that survival is unlikely even with care. They are the lowest priority. * **Blue:** While some systems use Blue for "Expectant" (similar to Black), it is not part of the standard four-color international triage system (Red, Yellow, Green, Black). **Green (Priority III)** is the fourth standard color, representing the "Walking Wounded." **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Mnemonic:** Use **"R-Y-G-B"** (Red-Immediate, Yellow-Delayed, Green-Minor, Black-Dead). * **START Protocol:** The "Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment" (START) protocol uses three criteria: **Respiration, Perfusion, and Mental Status (RPM)** to assign tags. * **Tagging Order:** In a disaster, the first step is often to ask everyone who can walk to move to a designated area; these are automatically tagged **Green**. * **Disaster Cycle:** Remember that Triage occurs during the **Response** phase of the disaster management cycle.

Q: A patient with extensive injuries who is unlikely to survive with available care is classified as which color under triage?

Black. **Explanation:** In disaster management and mass casualty incidents (MCI), **Triage** is the process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their injuries and their likelihood of survival with available resources. **Correct Answer: D. Black** The **Black Tag** is reserved for patients who are either deceased or have injuries so extensive that they are **unlikely to survive** given the current care capacity (e.g., massive head trauma, 90% full-thickness burns). In a resource-limited disaster setting, medical efforts are diverted away from these "expectant" cases toward those with a higher probability of survival. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **A. Red (Immediate):** These patients have life-threatening injuries (e.g., tension pneumothorax, airway obstruction) but a **high chance of survival** if treated immediately. They are the top priority. * **B. Grey (Urgent/Delayed):** While some international systems use grey for expectant cases, the standard **START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment)** protocol used in most exams uses **Yellow** for "Delayed" cases (stable fractures, large wounds) that require care but are not immediately life-threatening. * **C. Green (Minor):** These are the "walking wounded" with minor injuries who can wait several hours for treatment. **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Mnemonic (RPM):** Triage is often based on **R**espirations, **P**erfusion (Radial pulse), and **M**ental status. * **Reverse Triage:** In military settings or specific civilian scenarios, the least injured are sometimes treated first to return them to the front lines or to clear the scene. * **Color Coding Summary:** * **Red:** Priority 1 (Immediate) * **Yellow:** Priority 2 (Delayed) * **Green:** Priority 3 (Minor/Walking wounded) * **Black:** Priority 4 (Dead/Expectant)

Q: In a disaster situation, what triage color is assigned to a moribund patient?

Black. In disaster management, **Triage** is the process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition and the likelihood of survival with available resources. ### **Explanation of the Correct Answer** **Option B (Black)** is the correct answer. The color **Black** is assigned to patients who are either dead or **moribund** (at the point of death). In a mass casualty incident (MCI), resources are limited. A moribund patient has injuries so severe that they have a minimal chance of survival even with intensive care. To maximize the number of lives saved overall, these patients are categorized as "Expectant," meaning they are provided palliative care (comfort) rather than life-saving interventions. ### **Analysis of Incorrect Options** * **Option A (Red):** Assigned to **High Priority** patients with life-threatening injuries who have a high chance of survival if treated immediately (e.g., tension pneumothorax, airway obstruction). * **Option C (Yellow):** Assigned to **Medium Priority** patients who are stable but require surgery or hospitalization (e.g., compound fractures without shock). They can wait 1–6 hours. * **Option D (Green):** Assigned to **Low Priority** or "walking wounded" with minor injuries (e.g., abrasions, minor sprains). ### **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG** * **Triage Tagging:** Uses the **START** (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) protocol. * **The Goal:** "To do the greatest good for the largest number of people." * **Blue Tag:** In some older classifications, Blue was used for the moribund, but the standard international and WHO-recognized color for dead/dying is **Black**. * **Re-triage:** Triage is a continuous process; a patient's color code can change if their clinical status deteriorates or improves.

Q: Which of the following is not a Category A bioterrorism agent?

Salmonella. **Explanation:** The classification of bioterrorism agents is determined by the CDC based on their ease of dissemination, mortality rates, and potential for causing public panic. **Why Salmonella is the correct answer:** *Salmonella* species (specifically food safety threats) are classified as **Category B** agents. Category B agents are the second-highest priority; they are moderately easy to disseminate, result in moderate morbidity rates, but have low mortality rates. Other Category B agents include *Brucella*, *Vibrio cholerae*, and *Burkholderia pseudomallei*. **Why the other options are incorrect:** Options A, B, and D are all **Category A** agents. These are high-priority pathogens that pose the greatest risk to national security because they can be easily transmitted from person to person, result in high mortality rates, and require special action for public health preparedness. * **Smallpox (*Variola major*):** High mortality and highly contagious. * **Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers:** Includes Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, and Machupo viruses. * **Botulism (*Clostridium botulinum* toxin):** Potent neurotoxin causing respiratory failure. **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** To remember the **Category A** agents, use the mnemonic **"ABC-PST"**: 1. **A**nthrax (*Bacillus anthracis*) 2. **B**otulism (*Clostridium botulinum* toxin) 3. **C**holera is NOT here (Note: *Vibrio* is Category B), but **C** stands for **C**ontagious Hemorrhagic Fevers (Ebola/Marburg). 4. **P**lague (*Yersinia pestis*) 5. **S**mallpox (*Variola major*) 6. **T**ularemia (*Francisella tularensis*) * **Category C** agents include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination in the future, such as Hantavirus, Nipah virus, and Multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis.

Q: In disaster management, which of the following statements is NOT true?

Response occurs in the pre-disaster phase.. ### Explanation **1. Why Option A is the Correct Answer (The "Not True" Statement):** In the Disaster Management Cycle, **Response** is the phase that occurs **immediately after** a disaster strikes (Impact phase). Its primary goals are to save lives, reduce health impacts, and ensure public safety. The **Pre-disaster phase** consists of *Mitigation* (reducing risk) and *Preparedness* (planning and training). Therefore, stating that response occurs in the pre-disaster phase is chronologically incorrect. **2. Analysis of Other Options:** * **Option B:** Mitigation involves measures taken in advance to minimize the destructive effects of a hazard (e.g., building earthquake-resistant structures). It is correctly implemented **before** a disaster. * **Option C:** According to global epidemiological data, **Hydrological disasters** (floods, tsunamis) account for the highest percentage of deaths and affect the largest number of people globally. * **Option D:** Post-disaster, the breakdown of sanitation and contamination of water sources leads to **Gastroenteritis** (diarrheal diseases) being the most frequently reported morbidity. **3. High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Triage:** The most critical step in the Response phase. Uses color coding: **Red** (High priority/Immediate), **Yellow** (Medium priority/Delayed), **Green** (Ambulatory/Minor), and **Black** (Dead/Moribund). * **Disaster Impact:** The "Golden Hour" refers to the first 60 minutes after trauma where prompt medical intervention has the highest likelihood of preventing death. * **Epidemiology:** While gastroenteritis is the most common *disease*, the most common *cause of death* in the immediate impact phase is usually trauma/asphyxiation. * **Tagging:** In a disaster, a patient who is dead or has no chance of survival is tagged **Black**, unlike routine clinical practice where every effort is made to resuscitate.

Q: In disaster management triage, patients who require surgery within 24 hours are categorized under which color category?

Blue. In disaster management, triage is the process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition and the urgency of treatment required [1]. **Explanation of the Correct Answer:** * **Blue Category:** This category is specifically designated for patients who require **urgent but not immediate** surgical intervention. These patients are stable enough to wait for a short period but must undergo surgery within **24 hours** to prevent further deterioration. This is a high-yield distinction in disaster medicine protocols (often used in the Indian context and military triage). **Explanation of Incorrect Options:** * **Red (High Priority):** These are "Immediate" cases. They require life-saving interventions within the "Golden Hour" (e.g., airway obstruction, tension pneumothorax, or severe hemorrhage) [1]. They cannot wait 24 hours. * **Green (Low Priority):** These are the "Walking Wounded." They have minor injuries (e.g., simple fractures, abrasions) and can wait for more than 24 hours or be treated as outpatients [1]. * **Black (Dead/Moribund):** These are patients who are either deceased or have injuries so catastrophic that they are unlikely to survive even with intensive care in a resource-limited disaster setting [1]. **Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Yellow Category:** Often confused with Blue, Yellow is for "Delayed" cases who require systemic medical care or observation but are stable [1]. * **Mnemonic for Triage Colors:** * **Red:** Immediate (Life-threatening) * **Yellow:** Delayed (Stable but serious) * **Green:** Minor (Ambulatory) * **Black:** Dead/Expectant * **Blue:** Urgent Surgery (Within 24 hours) * **Triage Tagging:** Always performed at the site of the disaster (entry point) to ensure the most efficient use of limited resources [1].

Question 1

During a disaster, rapidly classifying the injured on the basis of likelihood of their survival with prompt medical intervention, is a part of which process?

Accepted Answer

Triage

Answer

Search, rescue and first aid

Answer

Tagging

Answer

Disaster mitigation

Question 2

According to the most common internationally accepted classification of the Triage system, which color code indicates high priority treatment or transfer?

Accepted Answer

Red

Answer

Black

Answer

Yellow

Answer

Blue

Question 3

A patient with extensive injuries who is unlikely to survive with available care is classified as which color under triage?

Accepted Answer

Black

Answer

Red

Answer

Grey

Answer

Green

Question 4

In a disaster situation, what triage color is assigned to a moribund patient?

Accepted Answer

Black

Answer

Red

Answer

Yellow

Answer

Green

Question 5

Which of the following is not a Category A bioterrorism agent?

Accepted Answer

Salmonella

Answer

Smallpox

Answer

Hemorrhagic fever

Answer

Botulism

Question 6

In disaster management, which of the following statements is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

Response occurs in the pre-disaster phase.

Answer

Mitigation measures are implemented before a disaster strikes.

Answer

Maximum mortality is reported from hydrological disasters.

Answer

The most common disease reported after a disaster is gastroenteritis.

Question 7

In disaster triage, the green color tag is used for which category of patients?

Accepted Answer

Ambulatory patients

Answer

Medium priority patients

Answer

High priority patients

Answer

Deceased patients

Question 8

What is the least priority color code in triage?

Accepted Answer

Black

Answer

Red

Answer

Yellow

Answer

Green

Question 9

During disaster management, what does the green triage tag signify?

Accepted Answer

Ambulatory patients with minor injuries

Answer

Deceased individuals

Answer

Patients requiring moderate priority treatment

Answer

Patients requiring the highest priority treatment

Question 10

In disaster management triage, patients who require surgery within 24 hours are categorized under which color category?

Accepted Answer

Blue

Answer

Red

Answer

Green

Answer

Black

Disaster Management — MCQs

Disaster Management — MCQs

On this page

Practice by Chapter

Want unlimited practice?