Interesting. In my part of the US we call these "Mass Casualty Incidents" (MCIs). The triage is a tad different, but basically the first responders on the scene label people as you do - dead, walking wounded, second to go, first to go. In my EMT - Basic class one of the questions was who should be the triage officer. The expected answer as a first-responder or EMT-B who is a cold-hearted bastard (or bitch). The logic being that those with a warm heart and/or more advanced providers would think of ways to treat the "dead" patient when the right move is to keep walking. Tough job at that point. May none of us have to deal with this situtation in anything other than our nightmares. DJ http://psychonomic.blogspot.com "The Professor's Vent"