______ victims are often defined as victims who are injured but not trapped and are usually injured in falls or are struck by falling objects, and account for approximately _____ percent of the victims at a structural collapse incident.

• A. Primary; 30
• B. Secondary; 20
• C. Surface; 50
• D. Tertiary; 10

Answer: (C)

In structural collapse operations, vict ims are categorized by where they are relative to the rubble and how they were exposed to the collapse to help prioritize rescue and medical care. The description given fits surface victims: they are not trapped under debris, are usually injured on or near the surface, often from falls or from being struck by falling objects, and they tend to represent about half of the victims at a collapse scene. This distinction matters because surface victims can be identified and treated relatively quickly compared to those who are trapped, who require entrapment rescue, or those injured deeper inside the rubble who fall into other categories.