Scene Safety
What should a provider do before exiting the ambulance?
Ensure the scene is safe from hazards like traffic, weapons, or crowds.
Who has ultimate authority at a chaotic EMS scene?
The Incident Commander
What does ABCDE stand for?
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
What does SAMPLE stand for?
Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Meds, Past history, Last intake, Events
Provider treating a patient in traffic without cones or lights.
Scene not secured, traffic is a hazard
Name two environmental hazards you might encounter at a motor vehicle crash.
Fuel leak, downed power lines.
What should you do if the crowd starts to become aggressive?
Retreat to safety, request law enforcement.
What is AVPU used to assess?
Level of consciousness
What does OPQRST evaluate?
Pain assessment
A medic ignoring a large dog near a patient on a porch
Animal hazard ignored
True or False: You should always trust bystanders to warn you of danger.
False – verify for yourself.
What command system is typically used in large-scale scenes?
ICS – Incident Command System
What is the preferred method to open the airway in trauma?
Jaw-thrust maneuver
What should you do if a patient is unconscious during SAMPLE?
Ask bystanders, look for medical alert tags or medication bottles
Treating a patient under a sagging power line
Electrical hazard
What’s the first priority if a patient is unconscious in an unsafe building?
Call for backup and wait until it's safe to enter.
What is your role in a mass casualty incident?
Triage, treatment, or transport depending on assignment
What does a weak radial pulse suggest?
Poor perfusion or shock
What does DCAP-BTLS stand for?
Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, Swelling
Patient vomiting while supine with no airway protection
Aspiration risk – airway not managed
What type of gloves should you wear if drugs may be present?
Nitrile gloves (never latex with certain drugs)
When can you legally leave a scene before patient care is transferred?
Only after care is transferred to someone of equal or greater training
What does “Expose” refer to in ABCDE?
Remove clothing to check for hidden life-threatening injuries
What is the purpose of a head-to-toe assessment?
To find non-obvious injuries that may be life-threatening
Scene with blood, weapons, and needles—provider not gloved
Lack of PPE in a dangerous scene