Philippine Sea. (January 25, 2023): In this photo by Lance Cpl. William Wallace, U.S. Navy Lt. Catherine Cloetta, a triage officer, and U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Angel Marmolejo, a radio system operator, both with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), coordinate an extraction during a ship to shore casualty care exercise at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. The training simulated a real-life mass casualty incident to test readiness and to improve response times. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of USS America Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th fleet area of operations.

A mass casualty event, by nature, is chaotic. These exercises allow Marines to practice keeping their nerves under control while dealing with dozens of emergency situations at once.

Preparation is key to handling mass casualties due to combat or in an onboard accident. The process begins with Triage, the preliminary assessment of casualties to determine the urgency of their need and the nature of treatment required. Each casualty is categorized according to a color-coded system based on their need for immediate attention. This allows surgical staff to prioritize the most seriously wounded patients over those who can wait for medical attention. This makes for efficient use of personnel, equipment, and facilities and provides an organizational framework to respond to extreme emergencies.