MASCAL (Mass Casualty Incident)

A Mass Casualty Incident (MASCAL) is an event where the number of injured or ill people exceeds the immediate capacity of local medical resources to treat them promptly. This could include natural disasters, large accidents, or acts of violence. The goal is to quickly assess, prioritize, and provide care to those most severely injured, often using a systematic approach called triage. MASCAL situations require coordinated efforts among emergency services to save as many lives as possible and manage resources efficiently until normal operations can resume.