In a multi-patient incident, what is the correct communication sequence?

• A. The initial communication should be with the Resource Hospital, and each transporting ambulance should contact the appropriate hospital
• B. All ambulances should contact Base Station first, then the hospitals
• C. The incident commander should contact every hospital directly
• D. Base Station should contact the receiving hospital on behalf of all units

Answer: (A)

Central coordination through a Resource Hospital is essential in a multi-patient incident. The Resource Hospital acts as the central hub to assess hospital capacity, coordinate patient distribution, and relay destination information so receiving facilities are prepared. Therefore, the initial contact should be made with the Resource Hospital to establish that centralized plan. After that, each transporting unit should report directly to the specific receiving hospital it will transport patients to, providing details such as the number of patients, triage categories, and estimated arrival times. This approach keeps the overall response organized, minimizes radio traffic, and speeds up patient admission by ensuring each hospital knows what to expect and can prepare accordingly. Other sequences either bypass this central coordination, overwhelm the base or incident command with calls, or delay notifying the hospitals, leading to confusion and inefficiency.