Scene Assessment and Safety Flashcards
21 cards from real PHTLS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Scene Assessment and Safety flashcards as text
During a multi-vehicle collision at night, which action best protects EMS providers while maintaining patient access?
Answer: Position the ambulance at an angle upstream with warning lights activated
Positioning the ambulance at an angle upstream (fend-off position) with lights on protects providers from traffic while maintaining scene access.
A provider arrives at a shooting scene where the suspect is reportedly still in the area. What is the correct action?
Answer: Stage at a safe location and await law enforcement clearance
EMS must stage at a safe distance until law enforcement secures the scene before entering any active threat environment.
Which of the following best describes 'scene size-up' in PHTLS?
Answer: A continuous process of evaluating hazards, MOI, patient count, and resources throughout the response
Scene size-up is a dynamic, ongoing process that begins with dispatch and continues throughout the entire response.
At a confined-space rescue with a trapped worker, which hazard takes highest priority before entry?
Answer: Verifying atmospheric oxygen levels and toxic gas concentrations
Atmospheric testing for oxygen deficiency and toxic gases is mandatory before entering any confined space to prevent rescuer incapacitation.
A provider is caring for a patient when bystanders become increasingly agitated and aggressive. What is the most appropriate response?
Answer: Reassess scene safety and prepare to relocate care if needed
Scene safety must be continuously reassessed; a deteriorating bystander situation may require relocating patient care operations.
When approaching the scene of a structure fire with reported victims, which is the EMS provider's primary concern?
Answer: Locating the incident commander and operating within the ICS
EMS providers must integrate into the Incident Command System and receive assignments from the incident commander at structure fire scenes.
Which personal protective equipment is minimally required for all trauma patients?
Answer: Gloves and eye protection
Standard precautions for trauma require gloves and eye protection at minimum due to risk of blood and body fluid exposure.
At a mass casualty incident with 15 patients from a bus crash, which resource request should be made first?
Answer: Establish command, declare an MCI, and request additional resources early
Early declaration of an MCI and immediate resource requests prevent delays that worsen outcomes in mass casualty events.
A provider notes a strong smell of natural gas upon entering a residential structure. What is the immediate action?
Answer: Evacuate all occupants and call the gas utility from outside
Natural gas creates an explosive atmosphere; immediate evacuation and external notification are required before any other action.
Which factor most commonly causes EMS providers to overlook scene hazards?
Answer: Tunnel vision focused on the patient rather than the environment
Tunnel vision — focusing entirely on the patient — is the most common cause of missed scene hazards in EMS.
During a farm accident, a patient is trapped under agricultural equipment with a running diesel engine nearby. What hazard requires immediate attention?
Answer: Carbon monoxide accumulation in a low-lying area
Diesel engines in enclosed or low-lying areas produce carbon monoxide that accumulates rapidly and can incapacitate rescuers and patients.
A provider receives a dispatch for a 'man down' in an alley. Which approach is safest?
Answer: Approach on foot from a parallel street for initial scene observation
Approaching from an observation angle before committing allows providers to assess scene safety without placing themselves in a potentially dangerous position.
Which situation requires the EMS provider to wear a high-visibility vest in addition to standard PPE?
Answer: Working on or near active roadways
High-visibility vests are required when working on or near active roadways to reduce the risk of being struck by passing vehicles.
When evaluating mechanism of injury (MOI) at a scene, what is the primary reason for doing so?
Answer: To anticipate potential injuries even before they are clinically apparent
Understanding MOI allows providers to anticipate occult injuries and maintain a high index of suspicion during assessment.
A hazmat placard shows the number 1203. Without a reference guide, what does this indicate?
Answer: The material is a flammable liquid (gasoline)
UN placard number 1203 designates gasoline, a flammable liquid requiring specific isolation and approach distances.
The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) recommends an initial isolation distance for a flammable liquid spill of 330 feet. This distance applies to:
Answer: All directions around the spill as a minimum safe radius
ERG isolation distances apply in all directions around the spill, establishing a minimum safe perimeter for all responders.
At a trauma scene involving downed electrical wires, the recommended safe distance from the wire is:
Answer: At least one full span (pole to pole) in all directions
A downed energized wire can energize the ground over a wide radius; one full span (pole to pole) in all directions is the minimum safe distance.
Which statement best describes 'upwind and uphill' positioning at a hazmat scene?
Answer: It minimizes exposure to toxic vapors that travel downhill and downwind
Positioning upwind and uphill keeps responders out of the path of toxic vapors and contaminated runoff.
A provider is called to an industrial site where workers report dizziness and nausea with no apparent trauma. What scene safety consideration is paramount?
Answer: Identifying possible toxic inhalation before entering
Multiple patients with similar symptoms at an industrial site strongly suggests toxic exposure; entry requires hazmat assessment and appropriate PPE.
During a structural collapse rescue, which team has authority over EMS entry into the collapse zone?
Answer: The structural/technical rescue incident commander
At structural collapse scenes, the technical rescue incident commander controls entry into the collapse zone based on structural safety assessments.
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