Which triage framework is commonly taught for field mass casualty events and what are the categories?

• A. START: Immediate (Red), Delayed (Yellow), Minor (Green), and Expectant (Black).
• B. SALT: Critical, Urgent, Delayed, Expectant.
• C. ABC: Immediate, Delayed, Minimal, Deceased.
• D. MARCHE: Severe, Moderate, Light, None.

Answer: (A)

In field mass casualty events, rapid triage focuses on quickly sorting patients by who needs urgent life-saving care versus who can wait, so limited resources go to those most likely to benefit. START, Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment, is the framework most commonly taught for this purpose. It uses four categories: Immediate, Delayed, Minor, and Expectant.

Immediate (Red) includes people with life-threatening injuries who can benefit from rapid interventions and transport. Delayed (Yellow) covers serious injuries that do not require immediate attention and can wait a short time. Minor (Green) are walking wounded with minor injuries who can wait longer and require minimal care. Expectant (Black) denotes injuries not likely survivable given current resources, so care is limited to comfort while prioritizing others who can be saved.

Other frameworks exist, such as SALT, ABC, or MARCHE, but START’s four-color, four-category approach is the most widely taught for rapid field triage in mass casualty situations.