Which triage tag indicates patients who are expected to die, such as a severe head injury with poor prognosis?

• A. Yellow tag
• B. Green tag
• C. Black tag
• D. Red tag

Answer: (C)

In mass casualty triage, colors quickly communicate who should be prioritized for care. The black tag is used for patients who are unlikely to survive or are deceased even with intervention, signaling that further treatment may be futile. A severe head injury with a poor prognosis fits this category because the chance of meaningful recovery is very low, and resources are typically directed toward those with a better chance of survival. In contrast, red tags indicate life-threatening conditions that are salvageable with rapid treatment, yellow tags are serious but can wait a bit, and green tags are minor injuries. So the patient described would be tagged black to reflect the grim prognosis and to prioritize overall resource allocation.