By Steven Cotter, BS, NREMT-P

In a large mass-casualty event, the actions taken by the first-arriving crew in its first five minutes on scene will often mean the difference between a poorly run scene that risks poor patient outcomes and a well-run scene that gives victims their best chance for survival.

There are many facets to responding to a mass-casualty event. There is the initial scene assessment and setup, triage, movement of patients to casualty collection points, treatment and ultimately transportation for definitive care. A well-designed and well-practiced system will provide for both the safety of the responders and the efficient triage, treatment and transportation of victims. It is important that all EMS responders have a good fundamental understanding of not only the various aspects of triage, treatment and transport, but also principles and concepts pertaining to the management and coordination of MCIs and other large-scale events.


http://emsresponder.com/print/EMS-Magazine/Mass-Casualty-Response--The-Vital-First-Few-Minutes/1$9371