SALT Triage

Term from Emergency Response industry explained for recruiters

SALT Triage is a method used by emergency responders to quickly sort and prioritize multiple injured people during disasters or mass casualty events. The name SALT stands for Sort-Assess-Lifesaving Interventions-Treatment/Transport, which describes the steps emergency workers follow. It's like a practical checklist that helps responders decide who needs help first when there are many injured people. This approach is widely used in emergency medicine, disaster response, and emergency medical services (EMS). Other similar systems include START Triage and JumpSTART Triage, but SALT is considered one of the more modern and comprehensive approaches.

Examples in Resumes

Trained 50+ emergency response team members in SALT Triage methods

Successfully implemented SALT Triage protocols during city-wide disaster drill

Led SALT Triage operations during multiple-vehicle accident with 15+ casualties

Typical job title: "Emergency Medical Responders"

Also try searching for:

Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic EMS Coordinator Emergency Response Manager Disaster Response Coordinator Triage Officer Emergency Services Director

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you implement SALT Triage protocols in a large-scale emergency response plan?

Expected Answer: Should discuss experience in creating emergency response plans, training teams, coordinating with multiple agencies, and adapting protocols based on available resources and specific scenarios.

Q: Describe a challenging mass casualty incident where you used SALT Triage and what you learned from it.

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate leadership experience, decision-making under pressure, and ability to improve processes based on real-world experience.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What are the key differences between SALT Triage and other triage methods?

Expected Answer: Should be able to compare SALT with other systems like START, explaining advantages and practical applications in different scenarios.

Q: How do you handle resource allocation decisions during mass casualty events?

Expected Answer: Should explain practical experience with managing limited resources and making quick decisions based on triage assessments.

Junior Level Questions

Q: Can you walk through the steps of SALT Triage?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the basic steps: Sort, Assess, Lifesaving Interventions, and Treatment/Transport in simple terms with basic examples.

Q: What are the different triage categories in SALT, and how do you identify them?

Expected Answer: Should know the color-coding system (red, yellow, green, black) and basic criteria for each category.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of SALT Triage steps
  • Ability to perform initial patient assessments
  • Knowledge of triage tags and documentation
  • Basic emergency response protocols

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Practical experience in mass casualty incidents
  • Training others in SALT Triage methods
  • Coordination with multiple emergency response teams
  • Advanced patient assessment skills

Senior (5+ years)

  • Emergency response leadership experience
  • Development of triage protocols and procedures
  • Mass casualty incident command experience
  • Training program development and implementation

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No hands-on emergency response experience
  • Inability to explain basic triage categories
  • Lack of current certifications in emergency medicine
  • No experience working under pressure or in crisis situations