In a mass casualty incident, which criterion defines Red (immediate) versus Yellow (delayed)?

• A. Red: injuries requiring rapid life-saving interventions or with an immediate threat to life; Yellow: serious but not immediately life-threatening injuries
• B. Red: minor injuries; Yellow: life-threatening injuries requiring immediate care
• C. Red: patients with no injuries; Yellow: all suspected injuries
• D. Red: any injury; Yellow: none of the above

Answer: (A)

In mass casualty triage, the aim is to quickly separate those who need life-saving care now from those who can wait a moment without immediate risk. The red category includes injuries that require rapid, life-saving interventions or present an immediate threat to life; these patients are treated first because delays could mean death. The yellow category covers serious injuries that are not immediately life-threatening, so these patients can wait a short time while the reds receive attention. For example, someone with severe bleeding or an airway problem needing urgent intervention would be red, while someone with a significant fracture but stable vital signs would be yellow. This approach ensures limited resources are used to save the most lives. Describing red as minor injuries or yellow as life-threatening would misguide prioritization and potentially increase deaths.