LD 34 Q&A
Primary responsibilities of peace officers as EMS first responders at a medical emergency - =-
ensuring officer safety as well as the safety of ill or injured individuals and
the public
-evaluating the emergency situation
-taking necessary enforcement actions related to the incident
-initiating actions regarding the well being and care of ill or injured persons
Primary objective of all peace officers responding to any emergency call should be - =to get to
the location as quickly and safely as possible
Scene size-up/evaluating the scene - =-Location (address, condition of scene, traffic, etc)
-Type of emergency (vehicle collision, chest pain, criminal injury...shooting)
-Nature of injured/Ill person(s) (number of victim, age, conscious, appearance of injury..heavy
bleeding)
-need for add. resources (fire, hazmat, EMT)
-urgent enforcement actions required (control of suspect, protect victims,etc)
When determining appropriate safety precautions to take, officers should consider possible
dangers from - =-exposure to biological hazards (e.g., body fluids such as blood, saliva, etc.)
-armed suspects, angry bystanders, etc.
-unsafe scene conditions (e.g., unstable buildings, nearby vehicle traffic, etc.)
-environmental hazards (e.g., fire, exposure to dangerous chemicals, chance of explosion, etc.)
-animals (e.g., pets, wild animals)
Care and well being of the victim has been turned over to other EMS personnel, peace officers
may be required to continue additional enforcement actions including: - =-documenting their
initial observations when first arriving at the scene
-maintaining control of the scene to protect potential evidence
-identifying and isolating witnesses and involved parties
,-recording statements or information provided by the victims, witnesses,
etc.
-noting whether items were moved in order to render medical emergency services (e.g.,
recording what was touched and by whom)
-any other investigative actions required
Bacteria - =microscopic organisms that can live in water, soil, or organic material, or within the
bodies of plants, animals, and humans. The human body contains a number of both beneficial
and harmful bacteria. Only when a bacteria is harmful would it be considered a pathogen.
Virus - =submicroscopic agent that is capable of infecting living cells. Once inside the cells of
plants, animals, or humans, viruses can reproduce and cause various types of illness or disease
Transfer of pathogens - =Airborne pathogens are spread by tiny droplets sprayed during
breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Airborne pathogens can be absorbed through the eyes or when
contaminated particles are inhaled. Blood borne pathogens may be spread when the blood or
other body fluids (e.g., semen, phlegm, mucus, etc.) of one person comes into contact with an
open wound or sore of another
Chain of Transmission - =how pathogens are spread such as:
• being present
• entry site
• quantity
-susceptibility
personal protective equipment (PPE) - =-gloves
-gown
-eye protection
-masks
-Ventilation devices
,precautions peace officers should take to ensure their own personal safety when responding to a
medical emergency - =-Treat all body fluids as if they are contaminated!
-wash hands thoroughly with warm water and antiseptic soap before and after each exposure,
even when gloves are worn
-Use proper cleaning procedures to disinfect and decontaminate any equipment that may have
been exposed (e.g., vehicle steering wheel and interior, firearm, radio, etc.)
-Use extra caution when handling broken glass or sharp objects
-Use band-aids or other cover protections when open cuts or sores exist
Responsibility to act - =-assess emergency situations
-initiate appropriate emergency medical services within the scope of the officer's training and
specific agency policy
conditions under which a peace officer is protected from liability when providing emergency
medical services - =An officer is not required to render care when reasonable danger exists (e.g.,
while under fire, exposure to hazardous materials, etc.).
Immunity from liability from civil damages for any injury caused by an action taken when
providing emergency medical services
To be protected from liability for civil damages, emergency rescue personnel must: - =-act
within the scope of their employment
-act in good faith
-provide a standard of care that is within the scope of their training and specific agency policy
Expressed consent - =Officers should clearly identify themselves and ask for consent to
administer emergency medical services. Consent must be obtained from the ill or injured person
before providing emergency care
-conscious and oriented
-mentally competent
-18 and older
, Implied consent - =assumes that an unconscious or confused victim would consent to receiving
emergency medical services if that person were able to do so.
-unconscious
-incapable of giving consent/developmental, emotionally or mental disability
-altered mental state due to alcohol, drugs, head injury, etc
-juvenile,
Duty to continue - =Once a peace officer initiates medical services, that officer must remain with
the victim until a officer is relieved by individual with equal or greater training and skill, or the
scene becomes unsafe for the officer to remain or the officer is physically unable to continue
Two parts to the victim assessment process - =Initial survey- check responsiveness, check
ABC's, control bleeding, treat for shock
Focused survey- check vital signs, gather all info, head to toe check for injuries
Responsiveness - =Before taking any action, the victim's level of responsiveness (mental status)
should be determined by speaking with the victim directly, asking, "Are you okay?"
-alert, awake and oriented (i.e., can talk and answer question appropriately)
-responsive to verbal stimuli (e.g., talking or shouting)
-responsive to painful stimuli (e.g., tapping or pinching, rubbing)
Victim responsive vs not responsive - =non responsive- activate ems, check ABC's
Responsive- control bleeding, treat for shock, activate ems if necessary
ABC'S - =AIRWAY-passageway by which air enters and leaves the lungs
BREATHING-After ensuring that the victim's airway is clear and open, the responding peace
officer should determine if the victim is breathing with look, listen, and feel
CIRCULATION- presence of a carotid pulse, taken at a carotid artery
Primary responsibilities of peace officers as EMS first responders at a medical emergency - =-
ensuring officer safety as well as the safety of ill or injured individuals and
the public
-evaluating the emergency situation
-taking necessary enforcement actions related to the incident
-initiating actions regarding the well being and care of ill or injured persons
Primary objective of all peace officers responding to any emergency call should be - =to get to
the location as quickly and safely as possible
Scene size-up/evaluating the scene - =-Location (address, condition of scene, traffic, etc)
-Type of emergency (vehicle collision, chest pain, criminal injury...shooting)
-Nature of injured/Ill person(s) (number of victim, age, conscious, appearance of injury..heavy
bleeding)
-need for add. resources (fire, hazmat, EMT)
-urgent enforcement actions required (control of suspect, protect victims,etc)
When determining appropriate safety precautions to take, officers should consider possible
dangers from - =-exposure to biological hazards (e.g., body fluids such as blood, saliva, etc.)
-armed suspects, angry bystanders, etc.
-unsafe scene conditions (e.g., unstable buildings, nearby vehicle traffic, etc.)
-environmental hazards (e.g., fire, exposure to dangerous chemicals, chance of explosion, etc.)
-animals (e.g., pets, wild animals)
Care and well being of the victim has been turned over to other EMS personnel, peace officers
may be required to continue additional enforcement actions including: - =-documenting their
initial observations when first arriving at the scene
-maintaining control of the scene to protect potential evidence
-identifying and isolating witnesses and involved parties
,-recording statements or information provided by the victims, witnesses,
etc.
-noting whether items were moved in order to render medical emergency services (e.g.,
recording what was touched and by whom)
-any other investigative actions required
Bacteria - =microscopic organisms that can live in water, soil, or organic material, or within the
bodies of plants, animals, and humans. The human body contains a number of both beneficial
and harmful bacteria. Only when a bacteria is harmful would it be considered a pathogen.
Virus - =submicroscopic agent that is capable of infecting living cells. Once inside the cells of
plants, animals, or humans, viruses can reproduce and cause various types of illness or disease
Transfer of pathogens - =Airborne pathogens are spread by tiny droplets sprayed during
breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Airborne pathogens can be absorbed through the eyes or when
contaminated particles are inhaled. Blood borne pathogens may be spread when the blood or
other body fluids (e.g., semen, phlegm, mucus, etc.) of one person comes into contact with an
open wound or sore of another
Chain of Transmission - =how pathogens are spread such as:
• being present
• entry site
• quantity
-susceptibility
personal protective equipment (PPE) - =-gloves
-gown
-eye protection
-masks
-Ventilation devices
,precautions peace officers should take to ensure their own personal safety when responding to a
medical emergency - =-Treat all body fluids as if they are contaminated!
-wash hands thoroughly with warm water and antiseptic soap before and after each exposure,
even when gloves are worn
-Use proper cleaning procedures to disinfect and decontaminate any equipment that may have
been exposed (e.g., vehicle steering wheel and interior, firearm, radio, etc.)
-Use extra caution when handling broken glass or sharp objects
-Use band-aids or other cover protections when open cuts or sores exist
Responsibility to act - =-assess emergency situations
-initiate appropriate emergency medical services within the scope of the officer's training and
specific agency policy
conditions under which a peace officer is protected from liability when providing emergency
medical services - =An officer is not required to render care when reasonable danger exists (e.g.,
while under fire, exposure to hazardous materials, etc.).
Immunity from liability from civil damages for any injury caused by an action taken when
providing emergency medical services
To be protected from liability for civil damages, emergency rescue personnel must: - =-act
within the scope of their employment
-act in good faith
-provide a standard of care that is within the scope of their training and specific agency policy
Expressed consent - =Officers should clearly identify themselves and ask for consent to
administer emergency medical services. Consent must be obtained from the ill or injured person
before providing emergency care
-conscious and oriented
-mentally competent
-18 and older
, Implied consent - =assumes that an unconscious or confused victim would consent to receiving
emergency medical services if that person were able to do so.
-unconscious
-incapable of giving consent/developmental, emotionally or mental disability
-altered mental state due to alcohol, drugs, head injury, etc
-juvenile,
Duty to continue - =Once a peace officer initiates medical services, that officer must remain with
the victim until a officer is relieved by individual with equal or greater training and skill, or the
scene becomes unsafe for the officer to remain or the officer is physically unable to continue
Two parts to the victim assessment process - =Initial survey- check responsiveness, check
ABC's, control bleeding, treat for shock
Focused survey- check vital signs, gather all info, head to toe check for injuries
Responsiveness - =Before taking any action, the victim's level of responsiveness (mental status)
should be determined by speaking with the victim directly, asking, "Are you okay?"
-alert, awake and oriented (i.e., can talk and answer question appropriately)
-responsive to verbal stimuli (e.g., talking or shouting)
-responsive to painful stimuli (e.g., tapping or pinching, rubbing)
Victim responsive vs not responsive - =non responsive- activate ems, check ABC's
Responsive- control bleeding, treat for shock, activate ems if necessary
ABC'S - =AIRWAY-passageway by which air enters and leaves the lungs
BREATHING-After ensuring that the victim's airway is clear and open, the responding peace
officer should determine if the victim is breathing with look, listen, and feel
CIRCULATION- presence of a carotid pulse, taken at a carotid artery
