Which of the following is NOT a key component of a mass casualty incident (MCI) response in a deployed setting?

• A. Triage
• B. Life-saving care
• C. Casualty distribution
• D. Medical supply chain forecasting

Answer: (D)

In a deployed mass casualty incident, the response hinges on immediate on-scene actions that directly affect patient survival: rapidly triaging patients to identify those needing urgent care, delivering life-saving interventions, and distributing casualties to appropriate treatment sites to balance load and maximize treatment capacity. Medical supply chain forecasting, while important for overall readiness and sustained operations, is a planning and logistics activity rather than an on-scene response task. It helps anticipate demand and keep supplies stocked, but it doesn’t constitute the immediate actions taken to triage, treat, and move patients during the incident. So, the item that does not fit as a key on-scene response component is medical supply chain forecasting.