Utah Special Function Officer (SFO) Practice Exam

In mass casualty triage, which category represents the highest priority for immediate care?

1. Urgent care

2. Delayed care

3. Life threatening

4. No care needed

The correct answer is: Life threatening

In mass casualty triage, the category that represents the highest priority for immediate care is life threatening. This classification is critical because it identifies patients who require urgent medical attention to survive. These individuals typically have severe injuries or conditions that, if not treated promptly, could lead to death or significant morbidity. The life-threatening category often includes individuals with conditions such as severe hemorrhaging, airway obstruction, or critical trauma. Addressing the needs of these patients takes precedence over others, ensuring that the limited resources available in a mass casualty scenario are allocated effectively to save the greatest number of lives possible. In contrast, urgent care refers to cases that need attention but are not immediately life-threatening. Delayed care involves patients who can safely wait for treatment without risk to their immediate health, while no care needed indicates that a patient is stable and requires no medical intervention at that moment. The focus of triage is to quickly assess and prioritize treatment based on the severity of the conditions present.