title: Pediatric Disaster Triage System Utilization Across the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study goal was to determine which pediatric disaster triage (PDT) systems are used in US states/territories and whether there is standardization to their use. Secondary goals were to understand user satisfaction with each system, user preferences, and the nature and magnitude of incidents for which the systems are activated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was developed regarding PDT systems used in each state/territory, satisfaction with those used, preference for specific systems, and type and magnitude of incidents prompting system activation. The survey was distributed to emergency medical services for children leads in each state/territory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six percent of states/territories responded. Eighty-eight percent of respondents used some formal PDT system, 50% of whom reported utilization of multiple systems. JumpSTART was most commonly used, most often in conjunction with other systems. Of formal systems, JumpSTART has been in use the longest. JumpSTART was also preferred by 71% of those stating a preference; it tied with Smart for median satisfaction level. Although types of incidents prompting system activation was similar across responding states/territories, number of patients prompting activation varied from 1 to 3 to greater than 20, median range of 4 to 7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most states/territories use some formal PDT system; few have 1 standardized approach. JumpSTART is predominantly used and is preferred by most respondents. With all systems, there is marked variation in number of patients prompting activation although the reported nature of incidents prompting activation is similar.
authors.affiliation: From the *Pediatrics Department and †Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, New Haven, CT.
authors.forename: Nicole L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Nadeau
authors.forename: Mark X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Cicero
mesh_terms: D004189:Disaster Planning; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States