Training on Mass Casualty Management and Triage in Crisis Situations

Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) overwhelm normal emergency response capacity and require rapid, coordinated, and systematic medical management to save lives. Events such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, armed conflict, industrial accidents, and terrorist attacks demand effective triage systems, surge coordination, and resource prioritization under extreme pressure.

This course equips participants with practical skills to manage mass casualty events and implement triage systems in crisis situations. It integrates international emergency management principles and guidance from the World Health Organization and emergency medical response frameworks used globally.

Participants will learn how to establish casualty management systems, apply triage protocols, coordinate emergency medical teams, manage surge capacity, and ensure continuity of care in resource-constrained environments. The training also covers incident command systems, patient flow management, pre-hospital coordination, communication systems, and psychosocial considerations during large-scale emergencies.

Through simulations, scenario-based exercises, and operational case studies, participants develop the capability to lead organized and effective medical response operations during high-pressure emergencies.

Duration

 10 Days

Who Should Attend

• Emergency medical personnel and first responders
• Public health emergency managers
• Hospital administrators and emergency department staff
• Disaster management and civil protection officials
• Ambulance and pre-hospital care teams
• Military and humanitarian medical teams
• NGO emergency response personnel

Individual Impact

• Strengthen expertise in emergency triage and casualty management
• Improve ability to make rapid decisions under pressure
• Enhance skills in coordinating emergency medical response
• Build operational readiness for large-scale emergencies
• Increase effectiveness in managing high-risk crisis situations

Organizational Impact

• Improve emergency preparedness and response capacity
• Strengthen coordination between hospitals and response agencies
• Enhance surge capacity during disasters and emergencies
• Reduce mortality and treatment delays during MCIs
• Strengthen resilience of emergency medical systems

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply principles of mass casualty management effectively
• Conduct rapid triage during crisis situations
• Establish coordinated casualty management systems
• Implement surge capacity and resource allocation strategies
• Coordinate pre-hospital and hospital emergency response
• Apply Incident Management System (IMS) principles in MCIs
• Manage patient flow, evacuation, and referral systems
• Strengthen communication and multi-agency coordination during crises

Module 1: Foundations of Mass Casualty Management

• Principles of mass casualty incident (MCI) management
• Types and characteristics of MCIs
• Disaster medicine concepts and frameworks
• Roles and responsibilities in emergency response
• Exercise: Assess MCI preparedness systems
• Case Study: Large-scale emergency response operations

Module 2: Triage Systems and Patient Prioritization

• Principles and objectives of triage
• START, SALT, and other triage methodologies
• Color coding and casualty categorization
• Ethical considerations in triage decision-making
• Practical: Conduct triage simulations
• Case Study: Triage during high-casualty emergencies

Module 3: Pre-Hospital Emergency Response and Scene Management

• Incident scene assessment and safety
• Coordination of first responders and ambulance services
• Stabilization and transport priorities
• Field communication and command structures
• Exercise: Simulate field casualty management
• Case Study: Pre-hospital response coordination

Module 4: Hospital Surge Capacity and Emergency Operations

• Hospital emergency preparedness planning
• Managing patient surges and overflow systems
• Emergency department coordination and patient flow
• Resource allocation under constrained conditions
• Practical: Develop a hospital surge plan
• Case Study: Hospital response during disaster events

Module 5: Incident Management Systems and Coordination

• Applying Incident Management Systems (IMS) in MCIs
• Multi-agency coordination and command structures
• Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) integration
• Decision-making under pressure
• Exercise: Design an emergency coordination structure
• Case Study: Multi-sector emergency coordination

Module 6: Logistics, Supplies, and Emergency Resource Management

• Emergency logistics planning and coordination
• Managing medical supplies and equipment
• Blood supply and pharmaceutical management
• Transportation and evacuation logistics
• Practical: Develop a resource allocation strategy
• Case Study: Logistics failures and response lessons

Module 7: Communication and Information Management During MCIs

• Crisis communication in emergency settings
• Information flow and reporting systems
• Family communication and public information management
• Managing misinformation during emergencies
• Exercise: Develop an emergency communication protocol
• Case Study: Communication challenges in disasters

Module 8: Psychological Support and Humanitarian Considerations

• Psychological first aid and trauma-informed care
• Supporting responders and healthcare workers
• Managing vulnerable populations during crises
• Ethical and humanitarian principles in emergency care
• Practical: Develop a psychosocial support framework
• Case Study: Mental health impacts after disasters

Module 9: Simulation Exercises and Operational Readiness

• Full-scale mass casualty simulations
• Multi-agency coordination drills
• Evaluating operational readiness and response gaps
• After-action reviews and improvement planning
• Exercise: Conduct a live simulation exercise
• Case Study: Lessons learned from global MCIs

Module 10: Recovery, Evaluation, and System Strengthening

• Transitioning from emergency response to recovery
• Evaluating emergency medical system performance
• Continuous quality improvement in MCI management
• Building long-term preparedness and resilience
• Capstone Exercise: Develop a mass casualty management plan
• Case Study: Strengthening post-disaster emergency systems