Emergency Services Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Response 2

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the 'warm zone' in a HazMat incident?

Accepted Answer

The buffer zone between the hot zone and cold zone where decontamination takes place

Answer

An area confirmed free of contamination where command operations occur

Answer

The area directly surrounding the point of hazardous material release

Answer

A staging area reserved for uncontaminated personnel and equipment

Question 2

The NFPA 704 'fire diamond' system communicates hazard information in four color-coded sections. What do the four sections represent?

Accepted Answer

Health hazard, flammability, instability/reactivity, and special hazards

Answer

Toxicity, flammability, reactivity, and radioactivity

Answer

Inhalation risk, fire risk, explosion risk, and corrosivity

Answer

Acute toxicity, chronic toxicity, physical hazard, and environmental hazard

Question 3

What are the four primary routes of entry by which hazardous materials can enter the human body?

Accepted Answer

Inhalation, ingestion, skin/eye absorption, and injection

Answer

Contact, breathing, and swallowing only

Answer

Skin absorption and inhalation only

Answer

Ingestion and injection only

Question 4

During mass decontamination operations, which category of patient should typically be decontaminated first?

Accepted Answer

Non-ambulatory critical patients who cannot move without assistance

Answer

Ambulatory patients who can walk through the decon corridor on their own

Answer

Patients with the heaviest visible contamination regardless of mobility

Answer

Emergency responders exiting the hot zone before civilians

Question 5

Under SARA Title III (EPCRA), facilities that store extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities must report to:

Accepted Answer

Their Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

Answer

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Answer

The Department of Transportation (DOT)

Answer

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Question 6

In HazMat response, 'containment' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Stopping a leak at its source by plugging, patching, or upending the container

Answer

Keeping a released material confined to an area using dikes or absorbents

Answer

Neutralizing a chemical with a counteracting substance

Answer

Diluting a spill with large quantities of water

Question 7

Which color section of the NFPA 704 diamond indicates health hazard, and what does a rating of '4' in that section mean?

Accepted Answer

Blue — very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury

Answer

Red — extremely flammable

Answer

Yellow — explosive under normal conditions

Answer

White — reacts violently with water