
“15 ‘til 50”: A Breakthrough in Mass Casualty Response
When a mass casualty incident occurs, every second counts. Chris Riccardi, Emergency Management and Business Continuity Manager at Rady Children’s Health, developed a transformative response program that enables hospitals and other facilities to triage and treat 50 victims in under 15 minutes.
In this episode, Chris breaks down how the “15 ‘til 50” protocol was born, what makes it so effective, and how it’s being adopted across healthcare systems, schools, warehouses, and more. Chris’ insights offer a practical approach to emergency preparedness that strengthens coordination, speeds up response, and helps save lives.
Key takeaways:
- Why standardized role assignments are critical during disaster response
- How regular drills help build muscle memory and identify real-world gaps
- The importance of scalable plans for non-hospital environments
- Tips for stress-testing your emergency management system with realistic scenarios
Download the full “15 ‘til 50” Mass Casualty Incident Guide and training materials at WRAP-EM.org.
The Employee Safety Podcast is hosted by Peter Steinfeld, SVP of Safety Solutions at AlertMedia.
You can find this interview and many more by following The Employee Safety Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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