EMS Operations and Safety Flashcards

The primary purpose of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is to:

Answer: Accelerate normal recovery after traumatic stress exposure

CISM is designed to accelerate the normal recovery process after critical incident exposure and reduce long-term psychological impact.

When staging at a hazmat scene, EMS should position upwind and uphill because:

Answer: It minimizes exposure to chemical vapors and runoff

Positioning upwind and uphill prevents chemical vapors and contaminated runoff from reaching EMS personnel and equipment.

During an MCI, the SALT triage method's first step is to:

Answer: Sort patients by asking ambulatory patients to move to a designated area

SALT begins by globally sorting patients — those who can walk are directed to a designated area, quickly identifying lower-priority patients.

When involved in an ambulance collision while responding to an emergency, the EMT should FIRST:

Answer: Ensure personal safety, then assess crew and patient for injuries

Personal and crew safety is the first priority after a collision — assess for injuries before taking any other action.

Which of the following actions violates proper body mechanics when lifting a heavy patient?

Answer: Twisting the torso while lifting

Twisting the torso during a lift dramatically increases the risk of spinal injury — the body should pivot as a unit.

A patient is found unresponsive in a running vehicle inside a closed garage. After ensuring scene safety, the EMT's PRIMARY concern for self-protection is:

Answer: Carbon monoxide inhalation

Carbon monoxide from a running vehicle in an enclosed space is immediately life-threatening to rescuers and is the primary hazard to manage.

In ICS, the term 'unified command' is used when:

Answer: Multiple agencies with jurisdictional authority manage an incident together

Unified command is used in multi-jurisdictional or multi-agency incidents where no single agency has overall authority, allowing collaborative decision-making.