In a mass medical emergency, who directs patients to hospitals?

In a mass medical emergency, the Incident Commander plays a critical role in coordinating the response efforts and managing the overall incident. This includes directing resources, including directing patients to appropriate hospitals based on their medical needs and the capabilities of the hospitals available. The Incident Commander typically oversees the triage process, which is essential during mass casualty situations, ensuring that patients receive the appropriate level of care as efficiently as possible.

While EMTs, paramedics, and lead nurses each have vital functions within an emergency response team, their roles are usually more focused on providing immediate patient care, treatment, and logistics at the scene, rather than the strategic oversight required to manage patient transport to hospitals. Therefore, the Incident Commander is the individual specifically responsible for making decisions about where patients should be directed based on the overall situation, available resources, and incident management protocols.