Final answer:
The START program is a triage method used during MASS Casualty Incidents to quickly categorize patients' medical needs into: immediate, delayed, minor, or deceased, based on three assessments of mobility, respiration, and perfusion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The START program is a systematic approach used by first responders to sort victims during a MASS Casualty Incident. This protocol helps in providing immediate attention based on the severity of each patient's condition.
The START acronym stands for Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, and it includes three primary assessments to categorize patients. These are:
- Ability to walk - assessing mobility
- Respiration - checking if the patient is breathing and at what rate
- Perfusion - evaluating circulation through capillary refill time or presence of a radial pulse
Patients are then classified into four different categories based on their immediate medical needs: immediate, delayed, minor, or deceased.