Which MCI role is responsible for triage duties?

• A. Medical Branch Officer
• B. Triage Officer
• C. Treatment Officer
• D. Transportation Officer

Answer: (B)

In a mass casualty incident, triage means quickly sorting patients by how seriously they’re injured so limited medical resources are used where they can save the most lives. The role charged with this duty is the Triage Officer, who conducts rapid assessments, applies the triage criteria, and assigns priority so responders know who to treat first and where to transport them. The Medical Branch Officer oversees overall medical operations and sets priorities at a higher level, but triage decisions themselves are handled by the Triage Officer. The Treatment Officer focuses on delivering care on scene according to those priorities, while the Transportation Officer coordinates moving patients to hospitals after triage and treatment planning. Recognizing triage as the front-end decision for patient prioritization explains why the Triage Officer is the correct role.