Date Published

November 21, 2025

Updated For

ALS PCS Version ALS PCS Version 5.2

Question:

I had a question regarding burns and trauma bypass: If I have a CTAS 1 burn patient, can I bypass to trauma hospital, or is there a requirement for trauma mechanism? 

Answer:

If understanding this question correctly, the ask is whether or not this burn patient meets the FTTS to be transported to the LTH. The BLS PCS Field Trauma Triage Standard lists burns under Special Criteria (Step 4). It only considers “Burns with trauma mechanism: triage to LTH”. Patients with severe burns often require upfront resuscitation that can be provided in an emergency department before determination of need for definitive management at a specialized “burn centre” can occurA trauma team has nothing further to offer these patients, thus transport should be to the closest hospital where initial resuscitation can begin while plans to transfer to a burn centre can subsequently be arranged as required. 

Categories

Keywords

Burns, Bypass, Field Trauma Triage Standard, FTTS, Pediatric, Special Criteria, Trauma

Additional Resources

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