S.T.A.R.T. Disaster Triage was created in 1983 by Emergency Room doctors, Trauma surgeons, Nurses and Paramedics of Hoag Memorial Hospital and Newport Beach Fire Department, Newport Beach California. It is designed to be fast and easy for both professionals and non-professionals to use.

S.T.A.R.T. stands for "Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment." This simple formula quickly detects potentially life-threatening conditions. The S.T.A.R.T. rapid triage system was created for multi-casualty situations, and is designed to be used by both professionals and non-professionals.

The purpose of Triage is to quickly identify those who need help first and give the basic life-supporting treatments as soon as possible to prevent worsening or death.

Professional Rescuers use a special Triage Tag to identify injured by color-code and category which is easily recognized by other Rescuers when they arrive. The injured persons marked "Immediate" or having a Red tag will be looked at first for transport to a medical facility; the Yellow tag “Delayed” people will be helped next.

You can buy these tags, or use the homemade Triage Tags copymaster in this book, or use whatever you have, to mark each individual as you triage them. You can use plain colored tags or tape (red, yellow, green, black) or simply write the words "Immediate" "Delayed" "Minor" or "Unsalvageable (or) deceased" in an obvious place, such as the forehead.

To Begin Your Rapid Triage:

"LOOK before you leap." Determine if the area is safe for you to enter. Then SPEAK in a loud voice: Everyone who can WALK, Get Up and Walk to (a safe place near by, that you direct them to.) Those who do get up and move, have now identified themselves as not needing immediate urgent treatment. These "Walking-Wounded" will not be tagged until later. For now, you will check out the ones who did not walk, and these "Walking Wounded" will act as your helpers and messengers.

Now Triage all those who did NOT get up and walk

CATEGORIES:

"I" for "Immediate" category (Red tag) means prompt treatment is necessary because of life-threatening injuries or conditions.

"D" for "Delayed" category (Yellow tag) means these injuries though more than minor are not life-threatening.

"M" for "Minor" category (Green tag). These are the "Walking Wounded" with only minor injuries or none, and will be tagged last, after triage is done. You will use them to assist you as Helpers and Messengers.

"U" for "Unsalvageable" /deceased (Black / White tag, or write “DECEASED” on whatever tag.) Those with massive irreversible injuries (or) not breathing even after you open their airway.

With the Mettags, you show the category by tearing off the tag TABS, leaving the bottom-most color as the marker. If you do not have Mettags, just use colored tags, tape, or whatever marker you do have. Follow the Letter/color code.

Disaster First Aid ©1996-2010 V. Chames / Darkhorse Press United States