According to the disaster triage tag system, which tag would be appropriate for a client with severe lacerations and respiratory distress observed after a terrorist attack?

The appropriate tag for a client with severe lacerations and respiratory distress in a disaster situation is a red tag. This classification falls under the category of "immediate" or "highest priority" patients who require urgent medical attention to survive.

In disaster triage, the red tag designates individuals who have life-threatening conditions but can be stabilized with prompt treatment. The symptoms described—severe lacerations and respiratory distress—indicate that the individual is in a critical state and needs immediate intervention to address these life-threatening issues.

In contrast, the other tags serve different purposes: a yellow tag is used for patients who have significant injuries but are stable and can wait for treatment, a green tag is for those with minor injuries who can wait for help, and a black tag indicates that the patient is non-salvageable, typically those who are deceased or have injuries so severe that survival is not possible, making it clear that the red tag is the most appropriate response for this scenario.