In pediatric mass casualty incidents, what is JumpSTART and when is it used?

• A. JumpSTART is a pediatric triage protocol used during mass casualty incidents to categorize children unable to walk as immediate, delayed, minor, or expectant, differentiating from START.
• B. JumpSTART is an adult triage algorithm for rapid evacuation.
• C. JumpSTART is a transportation protocol for neonates.
• D. JumpSTART is a decontamination procedure for chemical exposure.

Answer: (A)

JumpSTART is the pediatric adaptation of the START triage system, designed for mass casualty incidents. It provides a rapid way to sort children who cannot walk into four priority groups—immediate, delayed, minor, and expectant—so responders can decide who needs life-saving care first and who can wait or be set aside. This approach is used specifically in pediatric MCIs because children have different physiology and response patterns than adults, and START alone can misclassify them. By starting with whether a child can walk and applying age-appropriate triage criteria, JumpSTART helps allocate limited resources efficiently and evacuate the most vulnerable children first.