SALT Triage

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Objectives

 Understand the SALT mass casualty triage

method
 Practice performing mass casualty triage
using the SALT triage method
What is Triage?
 French verb “trier” meaning “to sort”
 Assign priority when resources limited
 Someone has to go last
 Greatest good for greatest number

Source: DoD Photo Library, Public Domain

Add it looks like this…
History of Triage
 Concept: Dominique Jean Larrey
 Surgeon-in-chief Napoleon’s Army
 200 years later…
 Dozens of systems
 Many types of triage
labels/tools
 No standardization for mass
casualty triage in United States

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Development of SALT
 Part of CDC sponsored project
 Develop national standard for mass casualty
triage
 Sort – Assess – Life Saving Interventions –
Treatment/Transport
 Based upon best evidence
 Concept endorsed by: ACEP, ACS-COT, ATS,
NAEMSP, NDLSEC, STIPDA

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STEP 1: Global Sorting

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Global Sorting: Action 1
 Action:
 “Everyone who can hear me please move to
[designated area] and we will help you”
 Use loud speaker if available

 Goal:
 Group ambulatory patients using voice commands
 Result:
 Those who follow this command - last priority for
individual assessment

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Global Sorting: Action 2
 Action:
 “If you need help, wave your arm or move your leg
and we will be there to help you in a few minutes”
 Goal:
 Identify non-ambulatory patients who can follow
commands or make purposeful movements
 Result:
 Those who follow this command - second priority for
individual assessment

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Global Sorting Result
 Casualties are now prioritized for individual
assessment
 Priority 1: Still, and those with obvious life threat
 Priority 2: Waving/purposeful movements
 Priority 3: Walking

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Step 2: Individual Assessment --
Lifesaving Interventions
 Provide Lifesaving Interventions
 Control major hemorrhage
 Open airway if not breathing
 If child, consider giving 2 rescue breaths

 Chest needle decompression

 Auto injector antidotes

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Individual Assessment -- Assign
Category

Triage Categories:

mmediate

elayed

inimal

xpectant (new
in MKE)

ead

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Dead
 Patient is not breathing after opening airway
 In Children, consider giving two rescue breaths

 If still not breathing must tag as dead

 Tag dead patients to prevent re-triage

 Do not move
 Except to obtain access to live patients

 Avoid destruction of evidence

 If breathing conduct the next assessment

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 Immediate
 Serious injuries
 Immediately life
threatening problems
 High potential for survival
 Examples
 Tension pneumothorax

 Exposure to nerve agent

Photo Source: www.swsahs.nsw.gov.au Public Domain

 Severe shortness of
breath or seizures

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Immediate
 No to any of the following
 Has a peripheral pulse?
 Not in respiratory distress?
 Hemorrhage is controlled?
 Follows commands or makes purposeful
movements?
 Likely to survive given available resources

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Expectant

 No to any of the following

 Has a peripheral pulse?
 Not in respiratory distress?
 Hemorrhage is controlled?
 Follows commands or makes purposeful
movements?
 Unlikely to survive given available resources

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Expectant
 DOES NOT MEAN DEAD!
 Important for preservation of resources
 Should receive comfort care or resuscitation when
resources are available
 Serious injuries
 Very poor survivability even with maximal care in
hospital or pre-hospital setting
 Examples
 90% body surface area burn
 Multiple trauma with exposed brain matter
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Delayed
 Serious injuries  Examples
 Require care but  Long bone fractures
management can be  40% BSA exposure to
delayed without Mustard gas
increasing morbidity or
mortality

Photo Source: Phillip L. Coule, MD

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Delayed

 Yes to all of the following

 Has a peripheral pulse?
 Not in respiratory distress?
 Hemorrhage is controlled?
 Follows commands or makes purposeful
movements?
 Injuries are not Minor and require care

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Minimal

 Yes to all of the following

 Has a peripheral pulse?
 Not in respiratory distress?
 Hemorrhage is controlled?
 Follows commands or makes purposeful
movements?
 Injuries are Minor

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Minimal
 Injuries require minor care or
no care
 Examples
 Abrasions
 Minor lacerations
 Nerve agent exposure with
mild runny nose

Photo source: Phillip L. Coule, MD

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After Patients are Categorized

 Prioritization process is dynamic

 Patient conditions change
 Correct misses
 Resources change
Case Study
 Multiple GSW at Local Sporting Event
 You and partner respond (one ambulance)
 8 casualties
 The scene is safe and additional assistance has
been requested
 What do you do first:

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Initial Sorting of Patients
 Walk
 2 patients
 Wave
 3 patients
 Still
 3 patients

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Still
 29 yr male Immediate
 GSW left chest, radial pulse present, severe
respiratory distress
 8 yr female Expectant
 GSW head (through and through), visible brain
matter, respiratory rate of 4, radial pulse present
 50 yr male Dead
 GSW to abdomen, chest, and extremity, no
movement or breathing

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Waving
 14 year male DELAYED**
 GSW right upper extremity, active massive
hemorrhage, good pulses **after tourniquet

 65 year male IMMEDIATE

 severe chest pain, diaphoretic, obvious respiratory
distress, no obvious GSW

 22 year female DELAYED

 GSW right lower extremity, good pulses, no active
bleeding

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Walked
 29 yr male Minimal
 Superficial GSW in the skin of left upper extremity

 37 yr male Delayed
 GSW left hand. Exposed muscle, tendon and
bone fragments, peripheral pulse present

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What next?

 Another ambulance arrives and transports 2

of your immediate patients
 Your partner is providing care to the other
immediate patient
 What do you do next?
 Re-assess
Summary
 SALT Triage
 Global Sort

 Individual Assessment
 Life Saving interventions
 Assign Category

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Questions?

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