What is the primary role of the MAC in a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)?

The primary role of the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) in a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) is indeed to provide destinations for ALL patients. This role is crucial as it ensures that patients receive appropriate medical care in a timely manner, especially when the volume of casualties exceeds the capacity of local healthcare facilities.

During an MCI, determining the best destinations for patients helps to optimize the use of available medical resources and facilities. The MAC assists in coordinating these efforts, taking into account factors such as the nature and severity of injuries, available treatment capabilities at different facilities, and the need to prioritize care based on triage protocols.

In contrast, providing on-scene medical evaluation focuses more on the immediate assessment and stabilization of patients, which, while important, is not the MAC's primary function in the context of overall management during an MCI. Managing transportation logistics is also a vital component of MCI response, but this task typically falls to other emergency management resources or command staff rather than the MAC itself. Issuing medical protocols is a critical function of the MAC to ensure consistent standards of care but does not encapsulate the role they play during an ongoing incident where numerous patients need to be directed to appropriate facilities.