Which color tag represents the highest priority for treatment in triage tagging?

• A. Yellow tag denotes delayed injuries requiring attention
• B. Green tag denotes minor injuries
• C. Red tag denotes immediate life-threatening injuries requiring urgent care
• D. Black tag denotes deceased or non-salvageable

Answer: (C)

Red is the highest priority tag because it marks injuries that are life-threatening but still salvageable with immediate care. In triage, the goal is to allocate limited resources to those who will benefit most if treated right away, so red-tagged patients receive urgent interventions to prevent imminent death (such as securing the airway, controlling major bleeding, or stabilizing circulation). The other colors indicate less urgent needs: yellow means injuries that are serious but not immediately life-threatening, green for minor injuries, and black for deceased or non-salvageable cases.