What must teams report to Incident Command after patient movement?

• A. Time of movement and exact location.
• B. What they did, D.I.M. count, and what they will do next.
• C. The equipment used and fuel status.
• D. The number of patients moved.

Answer: (B)

When teams hand off to Incident Command after moving patients, the purpose is to give a concise, standardized update that supports coordinated action at the incident level. The best report includes three elements: what care and actions the team just performed, the D.I.M. count, and what they plan to do next.

The “what they did” portion communicates immediate actions taken, such as triage decisions, treatments administered, and stabilization efforts. The D.I.M. count provides a quick snapshot of patient distribution by triage priority (Delayed, Immediate, Minimal), which helps Incident Command gauge the remaining workload, estimate required resources, and plan transport and medical support. Finally, stating what they will do next communicates the short-term plan—whether they’ll continue triage, prepare patients for evacuation, request further help, or move to a different location—so command can adjust staffing, ambulances, and med teams accordingly.

Details like exact time and precise GPS location of each movement aren’t the primary need in this handoff, and while equipment status or fuel might matter for logistics, they don’t drive the immediate patient-care coordination and resource allocation that Incident Command relies on. The D.I.M. count neatly encapsulates the current patient picture and, with the stated next steps, helps command keep operations flowing smoothly.