What should a corpsman assess first in a multi-casualty incident?

In a multi-casualty incident, the corpsman's primary focus should be on assessing the severity of injuries to prioritize care effectively. This approach is rooted in the triage principles, where determining which casualties require immediate medical attention is critical for maximizing survival outcomes.

In chaotic, high-pressure situations, it’s essential to quickly identify life-threatening conditions, such as severe bleeding or compromised airways, to ensure that those who need urgent treatment receive it first. This prioritization allows the corpsman to allocate limited resources and time to the most critically injured individuals, thereby optimizing the response to the incident as a whole.

While the presence of blood, the mental state of casualties, and the type of casualties on-site are all important factors to consider, they come after the initial assessment of injury severity. Understanding the severity helps guide the immediate care needed and informs decisions about resource distribution and transport of casualties to higher levels of care.