Casualties and categories

Name of Student – Amala Mathew

Course – MHA
 Classification of Casualties
All casualties who require treatment can be broadly classified under three main headings:
 Walking Injured
 Slightly Injured Casualties
 Seriously Injured Casualties

• Walking Injured –
Types of casualties who should not be allowed to walk:
 Marked degree of shock
 Slightest risk of internal injuries
 Have bled or are bleeding from an artery, even a small wound
 Have head wounds even though they may appear to be slight.

• Slightly Injured Casualties –

Whose injuries require that they must be evacuated for further treatment, but the nature of the injury does
not necessitate the use of a stretcher allowing evacuation to be effected by other means.
 Cases of serious shock
 Have injury to a lower limb unless it is only a slight flesh wound.
• Seriously Injured Casualties -
Those who will require hospital treatment.
 Internal haemorrhage
 open wounds of the chest
 shattered limbs
 grossly lacerated and crushed limbs
 wounds of the stomach
 open complicated fractures: fractures of the skull, spine, pelvis and thigh;
 injuries involving the eye
 injuries involving the lower jaw and control of the tongue
 External haemorrhage and multiple or extensive burns
Cases in which further shock is likely to develop, as with persons trapped for long periods under debris or
exposed to cold and wet; in fact all but those with trivial injuries or who are merely shaken, frightened or
faint, not forgetting that very small external wounds may well be associated with damage beneath the
surface; and
 All diabetic patients who may be injured or who are suddenly taken ill.

NOTE: It should be noted that serious injuries will not always provide highly visible symptoms or signs, and
that careful casualty checks must be carried out.The importance of proper first aid training cannot be over-
emphasised.

Reference: Disaster Rescue - Australian Emergency Manual. Natural Disaster Organization, 183 p. Chapter
Five - Casualty Handling . http
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