Triage involves determining the priority of patients’ treatments based on the severity of their condition. This becomes especially critical in disaster and rescue situations where available resources and personnel may be in limited supply and need to be allocated to the patients who need it the most.

In the unfortunate event of a disaster, a large number of people may suffer minor, severe, or even life-threatening injuries. While first responders rush to the site, you and other people at the scene may have to choose a triage leader and set up a triage area.

The focus of disaster triage is to sort people based on the severity of their injuries, as quickly and efficiently as possible so that the most critical can receive immediate help.

The triage leader
Triage is not treatment. It only requires you to separate people into appropriate categories, which require limited skill. However, if you have received some medical training, such as CPR or basic first aid, it can prove especially handy in such scenarios. Once everyone is sorted, and medics arrive, you can assist them as they direct.

Here are the things you should know if you have to act as a triage leader.

Safety
The triage area should be a safe place. In extreme weather, look for a building or shelter that is not damaged, and is not likely to cause further injury

Surroundings
Remain aware of your surroundings and any immediate dangers around you. Ideally, the triage area should be large enough to handle the number of victims and should be safe for the duration of the disaster. However, continuous monitoring is important.

Victims
Try to call out to any victims and check if they can reach you,following the sound of your voice. Based on the responses, you can start to sort these victims. For example, let those who are not injured inform others of your triage location and help the injured reach the triage area.

Triage Categories
In triage, patients’ conditions need to be evaluated quickly.

Victims need to be marked into one of the following four categories:
• Red or Immediate: Life-threatening injuries (airway blocked, excessive bleeding, or shock) that demand immediate attention
• Yellow or Delayed: Non-life-threatening injuries; the victim may require treatment but they can wait for some time.
• Green or Minor: These victims can walk around. They may have minor injuries, such as cuts, and scrapes.
• Black or Dead: No breathing even after 2 attempts to open the airway.

Remember that this categorization needs to be done within 20 to 30 seconds per victim. In such short time span, emergency tactical lights prove extremely effective in identifying patients easily.

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