Three ambulances respond to a golf course where six golfers were struck by lightning. According to reverse triage, which group should be treated FIRST?

• A. Group 1
• B. Group 2
• C. Group 3
• D. All Groups Should Be Treated Equally

Answer: (C)

Reverse triage focuses on saving the greatest number of people by giving priority to those most likely to benefit from immediate care with the limited resources available. In a mass-casualty lightning incident, the group that should be treated first is the one showing viable vital signs—meaning they are breathing adequately and have a pulse and no catastrophic injuries. These patients are the most salvageable with minimal intervention, so treating them first maximizes the overall number of lives saved. Those without a pulse or with signs indicating very poor prognosis would be postponed or considered for later decisions, as they are less likely to benefit from urgent treatment given the current resource constraints.