Starte Triage and Rapid Treatment

¶ … START method of triage. START stands for Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment. There are a couple of steps that are necessary to effect and use START effectively both before, during and even after a triage event takes place. This paper will summarize all of the above (CERT, 2013).

START Steps

The first thing to do is to prepare one's self for what is about to be rolled up on when everyone arrives. Preparing for what is known or likely to be present is important. If a responder has been to a responding location previously, it helps to visualize the area, what has happened there before and so forth. Upon arrival, it is imperative that the responders stay calm and take a quick yet accurate as possible assessment of what is going on and who is in the direst need (CERT, 2013).

When communicating the scene to others, there are a couple of key points that should be included. The location of the incident, the type of incident, any hazards that may exist including natural and people-induced, the approximate number of victims, and the type of assistance required are all important. For example, for a drive-by shooting with multiple victims, the location of the incident itself and the victims, how many people are show, how severe the wounds are and the type of assistance that is or should be rendered are all important details that should be noted and broadcast to supporting personnel and agencies (CERT, 2013).

Patients need to be assessed based on their condition and likelihood of dying and then treated accordingly. People with minor and/or superficial wounds should not be ignored but they do need to take a back seat to those that are severe injured and/or near death. Dimensions that have to be assessed include mental condition, respiration status, perfusion and so forth. Patients generally fall under four classifications, those being minor, delayed, immediate and dead. Minor patients can have their care delayed up to three hours, delayed people can have care delayed up to an hour and immediate need patients must be helped right away (CERT, 2013).

One major consideration is whether hazardous materials are involved at the scene of a triage situation and whether that is indeed the cause of the situation and/or how that will prevent/hinder care being rendered. A balance has to be struck between helping people in need and endangering first responders. A good example would be a nuclear plant that is in meltdown. Obviously, the people there that are still alive need help but simply entering the scene can endanger the lives of responders and thus must be handled a specific way (CERT, 2013). The Fukishima plant meltdown in Japan after their massive earthquake would be a good real-world example of this (AP, 2013).