An MCI is defined as a disaster with how many patients?

• A. 26-99
• B. 100 or more
• C. Up to 25
• D. 1-9

Answer: (A)

The number of victims defines how an incident is scaled and how much resource coordination is needed. An MCI is a situation where the number of patients exceeds what a local EMS system can handle with its usual resources, but it isn’t yet at the level that triggers the largest, mass-casualty response. In this framework, having between 26 and 99 patients fits that mid-range: it requires triage, expanded staffing, and additional support, but it stops short of the 100-or-more threshold that becomes a mass casualty incident with a much broader institutional response. Smaller incidents (like up to 25 patients) can typically be managed with normal response procedures, while 100 or more patients constitute a mass casualty incident requiring extensive mutual aid and large-scale coordination. Therefore, the 26-99 range is the best fit for an MCI.