In an MCI, which statement best describes the purpose of triage?

• A. To assess and prioritize patients based on the severity of their injuries.
• B. To transport all patients to the hospital immediately.
• C. To document only when necessary.
• D. To allocate resources without patient assessment.

Answer: (A)

In a mass casualty incident, triage is about quickly assessing patients and ranking them by injury severity to guide who receives care first when resources are limited. The aim is to identify those who can benefit most from immediate treatment and to allocate limited resources accordingly, so the most lives can be saved.

This means prioritizing based on urgency and likelihood of benefit, not treating everyone at once or documenting only select cases. It also means decisions are made from rapid patient assessment rather than distributing resources without evaluating each person first.

So, the best description is to assess and prioritize patients based on the severity of their injuries.