For a crying infant who has no visible injuries, which triage color tag is applied according to standard coloring?

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

Answer: (C)

In mass casualty triage, color tags show who needs care right away. Red means immediate—you must act quickly to save the person’s life. A crying infant with no visible injuries fits this tag because infants can deteriorate rapidly, even when there aren’t obvious injuries. Crying indicates the airway is at least partly open and the child is currently breathing, but infants have little reserve and can worsen quickly due to airway problems, dehydration, shock, or other hidden issues. Prioritizing them as immediate ensures they receive rapid assessment and intervention before their condition potentially worsens.

Yellow is for those who are delayed and can wait a short time, green for minor injuries, and black for deceased or unsalvageable.