MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT (MCI) LEVELS
A mass casualty incident (often shortened to MCI and sometimes called a multiple-casualty incident or multiple-casualty situation) is any incident in which emergency medical services resources, such as personnel and equipment, are overwhelmed by the number and severity of casualties. Depending on the geographic area and hospitals surrounding even small numbers of patients can tax the local emergency system. In an effort to streamline processes with ensuring appropriate routing of patients involved, LERN will follow the following guidelines for MCI patient distribution:
MCI Level 1 – Incident will require local resources and responding agencies. Incident may require additional resources within the region.
- Size – 5 to 10 patients
- Hospitals – notification to local hospitals in area near location of incident
- Triage – patients identified as RED, YELLOW, GREEN following START Triage guidelines and primary injury/service needed (LERN may be able to direct patients to specific area emergency departments with appropriate resources in small scale event)
- Communications – primary: phone; secondary: radio. LERN Communication Center will assign a LERN Regional Tactical channel for transport operations when necessary.
MCI Level 2 – Incident will require local resources and responding agencies. Incident may require additional resources within the region.
- Size – 10 to 20 patients
- Hospitals – notification to local hospitals in area near location of incident and/or adjacent city or parishes
- Triage – patients identified as RED, YELLOW, GREEN following START Triage guidelines and primary injury/service needed (LERN may be able to direct patients to specific area emergency departments with appropriate resources in small scale event)
- Communications – primary: phone; secondary: radio. LERN Communication Center will assign a LERN Regional Tactical channel for transport operations when necessary.
MCI Level 3 – Incident will require multiple regional resources and responding agencies. Incident may require additional resources in adjacent regions.
- Size – 20 to 100 patients
- Hospitals – initial notification to all regional hospitals and/or adjacent regions
- Triage – patients identified as RED, YELLOW, GREEN following START Triage guidelines
- Communications – Phone and radio communications. Incident command, operational officers, and area hospitals should monitor HRSA __ during incident. LERN Communication Center will assign a LERN Regional Tactical channel for transport operations when necessary.
MCI Level 4 – Incident will require multiple regional resources and responding agencies. Incident may require additional resources in adjacent and/or multiple regions.
- Size – 100 to 1000 patients or casualties
- Hospitals – initial notification to all hospitals statewide
- Triage – patients identified as RED, YELLOW, GREEN following START Triage guidelines
- Communications – Phone and radio communications. Incident command, operational officers, and area hospitals should monitor HRSA __ during incident. LERN Communication Center will assign a LERN Regional Tactical channel for transport operations when necessary.
MCI Level 5 – Incident will require statewide resources.
- Size – greater than 1000 patients
- Hospitals – initial notification to all hospitals statewide
- Triage – patients identified as RED, YELLOW, GREEN following START Triage guidelines
- Communications – Phone and radio communications. Incident command, operational officers, and area hospitals should monitor HRSA __ during incident. LERN Communication Center will assign a LERN Regional Tactical channel for transport operations when necessary.
Levels are defined considering size and severity of incident, number of patients, amount of resources needed, amount of regional resources available, and possibility of interregional involvement.