EMT Chapter 40 Incident Management

You are approaching an overturned tanker truck to assess the driver, who appears to be unresponsive. As you get closer to the vehicle, you note the smell of noxious fumes and find that you are in the midst of a vapor cloud. What should you do? A. Realize that you are in the danger zone and prevent others from entering. B. Exit the area immediately and gather information for the HazMat team. C. Cover your face with your shirt and quickly extricate the injured driver. D. Remain where you are and perform a visual assessment of the patient.

A. Realize that you are in the danger zone and prevent others from entering

According to the START triage system, what should you do if a patient is found to have a respiratory rate of 24 breaths/min? A. Assess for bilateral radial pulses. B. Administer high-flow oxygen. C. Assess his or her neurologic status. D. Triage the patient as delayed.

A. assess for bilateral radial pulses

You and your partner arrive at the scene where a truck has crashed into a small building, injuring eight people. You immediately request additional ambulances and begin the triage process. The first patient that you triage is a young female who is unconscious and apneic. She has an open head injury, and her pulse is weak and thready. You should: A. assign her a low priority and continue triaging. B. assess the severity of her open head injury. C. place a red tag on her and continue triaging. D. begin ventilating her with a bag-valve mask.

A. assign her a low priority and continue triaging

Following proper decontamination, a 30-year-old male is brought to you. He is semiconscious and has rapid, shallow respirations. A quick visual assessment reveals no obvious bleeding. You should: A. begin some form of positive-pressure ventilation. B. perform a rapid assessment to locate critical injuries. C. administer high-flow oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask. D. ask a firefighter what the patient was exposed to.

A. begin some form of positive-pressure ventilation

Which of the following statements regarding communications at a disaster or multiple-casualty incident is correct? A. Each command group should utilize a separate radio frequency. B. Ten-codes or signals should be used when communicating via radio. C. If possible, use face-to-face communications to minimize radio traffic. D. When possible, all communication should occur via two-way radio.

A. each command group should utilize a separate radio frequency

Injuries or conditions that would be classified as first priority (red tag; immediate) include all of the following, except: A. fractures of multiple long bones. B. severe medical problems. C. any airway or breathing difficulty. D. uncontrolled or severe hemorrhage.

A. fractures of multiple long bones

Placards and labels on a storage container are intended to: A. give a general idea of the hazard inside that particular container. B. broadly classify chemicals as being explosive or nonexplosive. C. advise responders of the appropriate neutralizing measures. D. provide specific information about the chemical being carried.

A. give a general idea of the hazard inside that particular container

To accomplish the goal of primary triage, it is important to: A. keep the triage assessment brief and the patient categories basic. B. take no more than 2 minutes to determine the patient's status. C. perform a rapid assessment on all patients who appear to be unstable. D. begin life-saving care immediately upon detecting critical injuries.

A. keep the triage assessment brief and the patient categories basic

When victims involved in a multiple-casualty incident are moved to the treatment area: A. secondary triage is performed, and the appropriate treatment is rendered. B. definitive care is provided and preparations for transport will be made. C. all uninjured patients are placed in a holding area and closely observed. D. they will be rapidly assessed and prioritized according to their injuries.

A. secondary traige is performed, and the appropriate treatment is rendered

You are triaging patients at the scene of a multiple-vehicle crash when you encounter a young male who is unresponsive and is not breathing. After you open his airway, he begins to breathe at a rapid rate. According to the START triage system, you should: A. tag him as immediate (red), place him in the recovery position, and move to the next patient. B. move to the other patients but reassess him in 5 minutes to determine if he is still breathing. C. assist his ventilations with a bag-valve mask and perform a rapid scan of his entire body. D. move him to the treatment area so he can receive a more comprehensive assessment of his status.

A. tag him as immediate (red), place him in the recovery position, and move to the next patient

Which of the following patients should be assigned an immediate (red tag) category? A. 36-year-old female with an open head injury, agonal breathing, and a slow pulse rate B. 22-year-old male with blunt abdominal trauma, tachycardia, pallor, and diaphoresis C. 29-year-old female with a back injury and numbness and tingling in her extremities D. 31-year-old male with an open fracture of the forearm and minimal external bleeding

B. 22 year old male with blunt abdominal trauma, tachycardia, pallor, and diaphoresis

A tour bus has overturned, resulting in numerous patients. When you arrive, you are immediately assigned to assist in the triage process. Patient 1 is a middle-aged male with respiratory distress, chest pain, and a closed deformity to his right forearm. Patient 2 is a young female who is conscious and alert but has bilateral femur fractures and numerous abrasions to her arms and face. Patient 3 is an older woman who complains of abdominal pain and has a history of cardiovascular disease. Patient 4 is unresponsive, is not breathing, has a weak carotid pulse, and has a grossly deformed skull. What triage categories should you assign to these patients? A. Patient 1, delayed (yellow); Patient 2, delayed (yellow); Patient 3, minimal (green); Patient 4, immediate (red) B. Patient 1, immediate (red); Patient 2, delayed (yellow); Patient 3, immediate (red); Patient 4, expectant (black) C. Patient 1, delayed (yellow); Patient 2, immediate (red); Patient 3, delayed (yellow); Patient 4, immediate (red) D. Patient 1, immediate (red); Patient 2, minimal (green); Patient 3, delayed (yellow); Patient 4, expectant (black)

B. Patient 1, immediate (red); Patient 2, delayed (yellow); Patient 3, immediate (red); Patient 4, expectant (black)

While triaging patients at the scene of a building collapse, you encounter a young child who is conscious, alert, and breathing; has bilateral radial pulses; and has a severely angulated leg, which is not bleeding. According to the JumpSTART triage system, you should: A. evacuate him to a designated area and assign him a minimal (green) category. B. assign him a delayed (yellow) category and continue triaging the other patients. C. apply high-flow oxygen, obtain baseline vital signs, and continue triaging. D. quickly bind his legs together to stabilize the fracture and continue triaging.

B. assign him a delayed (yellow) category and continue triaging the other patients

A carboy is a container that would most likely be used to store and transport: A. flammable liquids. B. corrosives. C. explosives. D. combustible materials.

B. corrosives

You and your partner are the first to arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. As you approach the scene, you can see multiple patients, some walking and others who are still in their vehicles. You should: A. begin rapidly triaging all patients before requesting additional help. B. declare a multiple-casualty incident and request additional resources. C. immediately move all ambulatory patients to a designated area. D. establish an incident command post until you are relieved of your duties.

B. declare a multiple-casaulty incident and request additional resources

The process of removing or neutralizing and properly disposing of a hazardous material is called: A. neutralization. B. decontamination. C. chemical containment. D. antidotal treatment.

B. decontamination

As the first-arriving senior EMT at the scene of an incident, you should perform a scene size-up and then: A. begin the triage process. B. establish command. C. call for additional resources. D. quickly identify the walking wounded.

B. establish command

The term used when individual units or different organizations make independent and often inefficient decisions regarding an incident is called: A. logistical chaos. B. freelancing. C. single command. D. undermining.

B. freelancing

According to the START triage system, what should you do if you encounter an unresponsive patient who is not breathing? A. Triage the patient as "expectant" and move on. B. Open the airway and reassess breathing status. C. Ventilate the patient for 2 minutes and reassess. D. Assign the patient in the "immediate" category.

B. open the airway and reassess breathing status

The development of an incident action plan is the responsibility of the: A. operations section. B. planning section. C. logistics section. D. finance section.

B. planning section

After primary triage, the triage supervisor should communicate all of the following information to the medical branch officer, except: A. the total number of patients that have been triaged. B. the recommended transport destination for each patient. C. the number of patients that are in each triage category. D. recommendations for movement to the treatment area.

B. the recommended transport destination for each patient

The JumpSTART triage system is intended to be used for children younger than _____ years or who appear to weigh less than _____. A. 6, 70 lb B. 5, 50 lb C. 8, 100 lb D. 7, 90 lb

C. 8,100 lb

Which of the following most accurately describes a multiple-casualty incident? A. An incident that involves more than five critically injured or ill patients B. An incident where patients have been exposed to hazardous materials C. An incident that greatly taxes or depletes a system's available resources D. An incident in which at least half of the patients are critically injured

C. an incident that greatly taxes or depletes a system's available resources

According to the JumpSTART triage system, if a pediatric patient has a respiratory rate of 40 breaths/min, you should: A. look for posturing. B. assign an immediate category. C. assess for a distal pulse. D. assess neurologic status.

C. assess for a distal pulse

Upon arriving at the scene of a possible hazardous materials (HazMat) incident involving several patients, you should: A. rope off the entire perimeter. B. divert traffic away from the scene. C. carefully assess the situation. D. retrieve all critical patients.

C. carefully assess the situation

During a motor vehicle collision involving multiple patients, the incident commander would most likely: A. relinquish command when a senior EMS provider arrives at the scene. B. maintain responsibility for all of the command functions. C. designate a safety officer but retain other command functions. D. delegate all of the command functions to the appropriate personnel.

C. designate a safety officer but retain other command functions

Which of the following duties or responsibilities does not fall within the realm of the medical branch of the incident command system? A. Treatment B. Transport C. Extrication D. Triage

C. extrication

You are at the scene of multiple-casualty incident when your partner slips and falls, injuring his leg. He is alert and responds appropriately to your questions. His respirations are 20 breath/min, and his radial pulses are strong. What triage category should you assign your partner? A. Minimal B. Expectant C. Immediate D. Delayed

C. immediate

Which of the following statements regarding storage containers and hazardous materials is correct? A. Steel utility drums are used to contain acids, bases, and other corrosive chemicals and substances. B. The Emergency Response Guidebook tells you the type and color of container used to store hazardous materials. C. In most cases, there is no correlation between the color of the container and the possible contents. D. Red phosphorus from a drug laboratory is found in a blue container that is clearly labeled.

C. in most cases, there is no correlation between the color of the container and the possible contents

A Level 4 hazardous material: A. is mildly toxic but still requires the use of a self-contained breathing apparatus. B. requires protective gear to ensure that no part of the skin's surface is exposed. C. requires specialized gear designed for protection against that particular hazard. D. causes temporary damage or injury unless prompt medical care is provided.

C. requires specialized gear designed for protection against that particular hazard

The most appropriate location to park your ambulance at a HazMat incident is: A. downhill at least 100′ from the incident. B. downwind at least 200′ from the scene. C. upwind at least 100′ from the incident. D. uphill at least 25′ from the incident site.

C. upwind at least 100' from the incident

In preparing for a disaster, EMS systems should have enough supplies for at least a ______ period of self-sufficiency. A. 24-hour B. 96-hour C. 48-hour D. 72-hour

D. 72-hour

You are triaging four patients who were involved in a head-on motor vehicle crash. Which of the following patients should be assigned the highest (red) triage category? A. A 36-year-old female with back pain and numb extremities B. A 29-year-old male with bilaterally closed femur deformities C. A 50-year-old male with an open head injury and no pulse D. A 49-year-old female with diabetes and difficulty breathing

D. a 49-year old female with diabetes and difficulty breathing

Historically, the weak point at most major incidents has been: A. incident briefing. B. lack of personnel. C. accountability. D. communication.

D. communication

Unlike a multiple-casualty incident, a natural disaster: A. exists when there are more than 100 critically injured patients. B. is typically short-lived and does not require as much manpower. C. usually does not require the incident command system process. D. often requires personnel to remain on scene for several days.

D. often requires personnel to remain on scene for several days

The function of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) is to: A. educate city and county governments regarding foreign terrorist attacks. B. prepare for the potential of a nuclear attack against the United States. C. facilitate a standard method of incident command for natural disasters. D. prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents.

D. prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incident

Which of the following statements regarding hazardous materials is correct? A. Identifying the presence of a hazardous material is generally very easy because of the consistent use of placards. B. A package or truck need only contain small quantities of a hazardous chemical before it must bear a placard or label. C. Most hazardous materials are odorless and colorless, even when a substantial leak or spill has occurred. D. Some substances are not hazardous by themselves but become toxic when mixed with another chemical.

D. some substances are not hazardous by themselves but become toxic when mixed with another chemical

Which of the following statements regarding the unified command system is correct? A. In a unified command system, there are separate ICs for fire, police, EMS, and any other agencies that respond to the incident. B. Ideally, the unified command system is used for short-duration, limited incidents that require the services of a single agency from one jurisdiction. C. The unified command system is one in which one person is in charge, even if multiple agencies respond to a disaster or mass-casualty incident. D. Under the unified command system, plans are drawn up in advance by all cooperating agencies that assume a shared responsibility for decision making.

D. under the unified command system, plans are drawn up in advance by all cooperating agencies that assume a shared responsibility for decision making.

Which of the following chemicals requires identification with a placard, regardless of how many pounds the shipment weighs? A. Air-reactive solids B. Nonflammable gases C. Flammable liquids D. Water-reactive solids

D. water-reactive solids

Burn patients without airway compromise and patients with multiple bone or joint injuries should be marked with a __________ triage tag at a mass-casualty incident. A. red B. green C. black D. yellow

D. yellow