# In mass casualty events, is it still one patient per ambulance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2026, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233 "2026-10-29T04:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233/1 "2026-10-29T04:39:46Z")
When many people are injured in an accident or shooting all at once, do the EMTs still load them into an ambulance one patient per transport, or can they take two? What’s the quickest and most efficient means of getting them medical care? What if 50 people are injured but there simply aren’t enough ambulances? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233/2 "2026-10-29T05:19:21Z")
Those with minor injuries can be driven in cars. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233/3 "2026-10-29T05:21:55Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > What if 50 people are injured but there simply aren’t enough ambulances? The term [_triage_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triage) comes to mind. > [@](#): > > In [medicine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare "Healthcare"), **triage** ([/ˈtriː.ɑːʒ/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English "Help:IPA/English"), [/tri.ˈɑːʒ/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English "Help:IPA/English"); French: [[tʁiaʒ]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/French "Help:IPA/French")) is a process by which care providers, such as [medical professionals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_professional "Health professional") and those with [first aid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_aid "First aid") knowledge, determine the order of priority for providing treatment to injured individuals[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triage#cite_note-Robertson-Steel_2006-1) and/or inform the [rationing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing "Rationing") of limited supplies so that they go to those who can most benefit from it.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triage#cite_note-2) Triage is usually relied upon when there are more injured individuals than available care providers (known as a [mass casualty incident](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_casualty_incident "Mass casualty incident")) or when there are more injured individuals than supplies to treat them.[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triage#cite_note-Iserson_2007-3) ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233/4 "2026-10-29T12:12:44Z")
I’ve heard of ambulances transporting two people at once, but I think it only happen is fairly rare situations. They are typically set up for one person in the cot, being handled by one attendant, but a second less seriously injured person could sit in the back while another more seriously injured person was in the cot. This would obviously put stress on the attendant if both require monitoring at the same time, but apparently it’s possible. As mentioned already, some people can be driven to the hospital by car if there is a dearth of ambulances in a large emergency situation. ---
**Author:** ![Nyvaak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nyvaak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nyvaak)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233/5 "2026-10-29T13:40:40Z")
Practice in EMS has changed, but I doubt this has been totally eliminated. In the end, you do what you have to. Obviously the quality of care suffers when there is less room, and one’s attention is split. Even so, I’ve faced the, “if we leave either one here, they’re going to die” dilemma, and transported both. Grabbing an extra medic for the transport will be vital. Put the more unstable patient on the regular cot and the other lying on the bench seat. You can even have a lightly injured patient in the rear-facing seat. Possibly (depending on the EMS service’s policies) a fourth can ride shotgun. I’ve never taken that many except when weather was a significant hazard for those left at the scene AND nobody was critical. Disclaimer: My experiences reflect the practice of only a small number of EMS agencies. They are also some years in past, but I’m unaware of any outright bans on the practice since I retired. I’m sure it’s less common, if only because it’s more hazardous for the medics. You can’t wear seatbelts if the seat is taken. Throughout EMS we’re trying end the bad habit of riding unrestrained. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-mass-casualty-events-is-it-still-one-patient-per-ambulance/1034233/6 "2026-10-29T14:26:54Z")
> [@Nyvaak](#): > > In the end, you do what you have to. Surely, that’s the usual answer. You do the best you can with the resources available.