68W MOS-T MODULE 3 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Which of the following is NOT determined in a scene size-up?
A) Chief complaint
B) Mechanism of injury
C) Potential hazards to the EMS crew
D) Need for additional resources - Answer -A) CORRECT. The scene size-up process
does not include determining the patient's chief complaint.
B) INCORRECT. Determining the mechanism of injury is part of the scene size-up.
C) INCORRECT. An important component of the scene size-up is looking for potential
hazards to emergency responders.
D) INCORRECT. During the scene size-up, EMS personnel should be determining the
need for additional resources.
Page Ref: 263
Objective: 11.1
At what point is the scene size-up complete?
A) When crashed vehicles have been stabilized
B) At the end of the call
C) Upon stabilization of the c-spine
D) When the number of patients has been determined - Answer -A) INCORRECT.
Although stabilizing vehicles on scene is important for safety, sizing up the scene does
not end once that is done.
B) CORRECT. The components of the scene size-up should continue throughout the
call; emergency situations are dynamic and can change at any time.
C) INCORRECT. The scene size-up does not end once the patient's spine is stabilized.
D) INCORRECT. Determining the number of patients and the need for additional
resources are important parts of the scene size-up, but not the end of the size-up
process.
Page Ref: 262
Objective: 11.2
Which of the following is true concerning the potential for violence at the scene of an
EMS call?
A) An unusual lack of activity at the scene may signal impending violence against the
EMT.
B) The chance for violence is very low at emergency scenes.
C) You do not need to worry about violence at an emergency scene once the police
have secured it.
D) Signs of impending violence are obvious if you know what to look for. - Answer -A)
CORRECT. Emergencies are usually active events. A call that is "too quiet" should
raise an EMT's suspicions about the potential for violence or unpredictability.
B) INCORRECT. An EMT should always anticipate the potential for violence at
emergency scenes.
,C) INCORRECT. Although a police presence can be helpful in quelling violence, it can
also sometimes exacerbate the situation; EMTs should be prepared for violence at all
times while on scene.
D) INCORRECT. Some signs of impending violence may be obvious, but many times it
is unpredictable and occurs unexpectedly.
Page Ref: 268
Objective: 11.5
You are on the scene of an explosion at a suspected methamphetamine manufacturing
operation. You and your partner are the first to arrive and note two middle-aged men
and a woman on the front lawn with burns and cuts on their faces and arms. The fire
department is en route. Which of the following resources should be the LEAST
important to be requested by the EMT during the scene size-up?
A) Gas company
B) Law enforcement
C) One or two additional ambulances
D) Hazardous material clean-up crew - Answer -A) INCORRECT. Due to the potential
for additional or ongoing fire hazards, the gas company should be requested to shut off
the gas at this location.
B) INCORRECT. Since the scene is a suspected illegal drug lab and since there was an
explosion, law enforcement should definitely be summoned.
C) INCORRECT. With at least three patients, it would be very important to request
additional ambulances.
D) CORRECT. Although cleaning up the scene safely after this incident is going to be
important, summoning a clean-up crew would not be a priority for the initial responders.
Page Ref: 262
Objective: 11.5
As you are assessing a 32-year-old asthmatic woman who has called EMS due to
difficulty breathing, her husband enters the home through a back door and shouts, "Get
your hands off her; she doesn't need your help. She needs to be taught a lesson about
her smart mouth." Which of the following is the best course of action?
A) Attempt to remove the patient from the home and continue treatment en route to the
hospital.
B) Continue assessment and respond that the patient is sick and needs medical
attention.
C) Leave the scene and patient, then notify police.
D) Let the husband know that his behavior is inappropriate, and if it continues you will
call for the police. - Answer -A) INCORRECT. Attempting to remove the patient from
this situation could potentially place the emergency responders in danger of violence.
B) INCORRECT. Attempting to reason with the husband while continuing care may lead
to violence in this situation.
C) CORRECT. The best option when EMTs are faced with the potential for violence is
to leave the scene and the patient immediately and request that law enforcement
respond.
,D) INCORRECT. In a potentially violent situation, it is never a good idea for EMTs to
chastise or threaten anyone on scene.
Page Ref: 269
Objective: 11.5
You are dispatched to a local bar for the report of an unresponsive female patient found
in the bathroom. As you approach the scene, you notice a large crowd outside the front
door holding beer bottles. The group has pulled the patient outside. As you approach
the scene, people from the group start yelling, "Do something! She's not breathing."
What concerns you the most about this scene?
A) The large crowd that has been drinking and is now yelling at you
B) The fact that the patient has been moved from where she was found
C) The crowd stating the patient is not breathing
D) All of the above - Answer -A) CORRECT. From a scene size-up perspective, the
most concerning thing about this scenario is the large, potentially drunken crowd who is
yelling at emergency responders.
B) INCORRECT. Although perhaps not preferable, the patient being moved would not
be the most concerning part of this scenario.
C) INCORRECT. The crowd indicating that the patient is not breathing is not the primary
concern for responders to this scene.
D) INCORRECT. Not all of the above options are correct.
Page Ref: 267-268
Objective: 11.5
At which of the following points should you begin your scene size-up?
A) After exiting the ambulance, but before making patient contact
B) When you arrive on the scene, but before exiting the ambulance
C) As you approach the scene in the ambulance
D) When the patient or family member opens the door to the residence - Answer -A)
INCORRECT. The EMT should be sizing up the scene prior to stepping out of the
ambulance.
B) INCORRECT. EMTs can find themselves in the middle of hazards unnecessarily if
they do not begin to size-up the scene until they actually arrive.
C) CORRECT. The scene size-up should begin as responders approach the scene,
surveying it to determine if there are any threats to the safety of responding emergency
personnel, or to the safety of patients and bystanders.
D) INCORRECT. The observations of EMTs as they approach a residence are an
important part of the scene size-up, which should definitely occur prior to knocking on a
door.
Page Ref: 262
Objective: 11.2
Which of the following situations requires additional action by the EMT during scene
size-up?
A) A vehicle collision involving a tractor-trailer that appears to be empty.
B) The sound of a barking and growling dog upon approaching the door to a residence.
, C) A bystander who is smoking a cigarette at the scene of an assault at a local park.
D) A news media helicopter arrives and hovers overhead at the scene of a vehicle
collision. - Answer -A) INCORRECT. No specific additional actions would be necessary
if the tractor-trailer involved in a collision was not carrying cargo. If it were carrying
cargo, the EMT would need to try and determine if any potentially hazardous materials
were present.
B) CORRECT. For obvious safety reasons, the presence of a dog would change the
way an EMT approaches the scene. The additional actions may involve instructing the
patient or other resident to secure the dog prior to entry or perhaps even summoning
animal control or law enforcement.
C) INCORRECT. This bystander does not necessarily pose a hazard just by smoking a
cigarette in a public park.
D) INCORRECT. No additional scene size-up actions would be required due to a news
helicopter flying above the scene; awareness of the potential hazards posed by a
hovering helicopter and a consciousness of being filmed while performing care are
sufficient.
Page Ref: 265
Objective: 11.3
You are called to a motor vehicle collision where the car is on fire. You should ensure
safety by:
A) borrowing turnout gear from the fire department.
B) remaining a safe distance from the car until the fire is out.
C) putting your unit back in service and leaving the scene.
D) using your fire extinguisher to put out the fire. - Answer -A) INCORRECT. EMTs are
not traditionally trained and equipped to fight fire. To exceed that role opens the EMT up
to serious injury when doing something that he or she is not trained and equipped to do.
B) CORRECT. The function of an EMT is to assess and treat patients, not fight fires. Try
to be up hill and upwind to avoid dangerous fumes or potential fluids.
C) INCORRECT. Leaving the scene would be a breach of duty to care for any potential
patients once the fire is out.
D) INCORRECT. EMTs are not trained or expected to fight fires; it would be unsafe for
medical responders to try and extinguish this care fire.
Page Ref: 265
Objective: 11.3
As you arrive at the scene of a house fire, a very upset man screams at you to help his
young son, who is trapped under a piece of burning wood on the ground. Which of the
following should you do first?
A) With the father's help, grab the boy by the arms and pull him from underneath the
wood.
B) Size-up the scene before acting.
C) Perform an initial assessment on the patient.
D) Use a blanket to put out the fire on the piece of wood. - Answer -A) INCORRECT.
Immediately reacting like this can cause additional injuries and danger from unseen
hazards.
Which of the following is NOT determined in a scene size-up?
A) Chief complaint
B) Mechanism of injury
C) Potential hazards to the EMS crew
D) Need for additional resources - Answer -A) CORRECT. The scene size-up process
does not include determining the patient's chief complaint.
B) INCORRECT. Determining the mechanism of injury is part of the scene size-up.
C) INCORRECT. An important component of the scene size-up is looking for potential
hazards to emergency responders.
D) INCORRECT. During the scene size-up, EMS personnel should be determining the
need for additional resources.
Page Ref: 263
Objective: 11.1
At what point is the scene size-up complete?
A) When crashed vehicles have been stabilized
B) At the end of the call
C) Upon stabilization of the c-spine
D) When the number of patients has been determined - Answer -A) INCORRECT.
Although stabilizing vehicles on scene is important for safety, sizing up the scene does
not end once that is done.
B) CORRECT. The components of the scene size-up should continue throughout the
call; emergency situations are dynamic and can change at any time.
C) INCORRECT. The scene size-up does not end once the patient's spine is stabilized.
D) INCORRECT. Determining the number of patients and the need for additional
resources are important parts of the scene size-up, but not the end of the size-up
process.
Page Ref: 262
Objective: 11.2
Which of the following is true concerning the potential for violence at the scene of an
EMS call?
A) An unusual lack of activity at the scene may signal impending violence against the
EMT.
B) The chance for violence is very low at emergency scenes.
C) You do not need to worry about violence at an emergency scene once the police
have secured it.
D) Signs of impending violence are obvious if you know what to look for. - Answer -A)
CORRECT. Emergencies are usually active events. A call that is "too quiet" should
raise an EMT's suspicions about the potential for violence or unpredictability.
B) INCORRECT. An EMT should always anticipate the potential for violence at
emergency scenes.
,C) INCORRECT. Although a police presence can be helpful in quelling violence, it can
also sometimes exacerbate the situation; EMTs should be prepared for violence at all
times while on scene.
D) INCORRECT. Some signs of impending violence may be obvious, but many times it
is unpredictable and occurs unexpectedly.
Page Ref: 268
Objective: 11.5
You are on the scene of an explosion at a suspected methamphetamine manufacturing
operation. You and your partner are the first to arrive and note two middle-aged men
and a woman on the front lawn with burns and cuts on their faces and arms. The fire
department is en route. Which of the following resources should be the LEAST
important to be requested by the EMT during the scene size-up?
A) Gas company
B) Law enforcement
C) One or two additional ambulances
D) Hazardous material clean-up crew - Answer -A) INCORRECT. Due to the potential
for additional or ongoing fire hazards, the gas company should be requested to shut off
the gas at this location.
B) INCORRECT. Since the scene is a suspected illegal drug lab and since there was an
explosion, law enforcement should definitely be summoned.
C) INCORRECT. With at least three patients, it would be very important to request
additional ambulances.
D) CORRECT. Although cleaning up the scene safely after this incident is going to be
important, summoning a clean-up crew would not be a priority for the initial responders.
Page Ref: 262
Objective: 11.5
As you are assessing a 32-year-old asthmatic woman who has called EMS due to
difficulty breathing, her husband enters the home through a back door and shouts, "Get
your hands off her; she doesn't need your help. She needs to be taught a lesson about
her smart mouth." Which of the following is the best course of action?
A) Attempt to remove the patient from the home and continue treatment en route to the
hospital.
B) Continue assessment and respond that the patient is sick and needs medical
attention.
C) Leave the scene and patient, then notify police.
D) Let the husband know that his behavior is inappropriate, and if it continues you will
call for the police. - Answer -A) INCORRECT. Attempting to remove the patient from
this situation could potentially place the emergency responders in danger of violence.
B) INCORRECT. Attempting to reason with the husband while continuing care may lead
to violence in this situation.
C) CORRECT. The best option when EMTs are faced with the potential for violence is
to leave the scene and the patient immediately and request that law enforcement
respond.
,D) INCORRECT. In a potentially violent situation, it is never a good idea for EMTs to
chastise or threaten anyone on scene.
Page Ref: 269
Objective: 11.5
You are dispatched to a local bar for the report of an unresponsive female patient found
in the bathroom. As you approach the scene, you notice a large crowd outside the front
door holding beer bottles. The group has pulled the patient outside. As you approach
the scene, people from the group start yelling, "Do something! She's not breathing."
What concerns you the most about this scene?
A) The large crowd that has been drinking and is now yelling at you
B) The fact that the patient has been moved from where she was found
C) The crowd stating the patient is not breathing
D) All of the above - Answer -A) CORRECT. From a scene size-up perspective, the
most concerning thing about this scenario is the large, potentially drunken crowd who is
yelling at emergency responders.
B) INCORRECT. Although perhaps not preferable, the patient being moved would not
be the most concerning part of this scenario.
C) INCORRECT. The crowd indicating that the patient is not breathing is not the primary
concern for responders to this scene.
D) INCORRECT. Not all of the above options are correct.
Page Ref: 267-268
Objective: 11.5
At which of the following points should you begin your scene size-up?
A) After exiting the ambulance, but before making patient contact
B) When you arrive on the scene, but before exiting the ambulance
C) As you approach the scene in the ambulance
D) When the patient or family member opens the door to the residence - Answer -A)
INCORRECT. The EMT should be sizing up the scene prior to stepping out of the
ambulance.
B) INCORRECT. EMTs can find themselves in the middle of hazards unnecessarily if
they do not begin to size-up the scene until they actually arrive.
C) CORRECT. The scene size-up should begin as responders approach the scene,
surveying it to determine if there are any threats to the safety of responding emergency
personnel, or to the safety of patients and bystanders.
D) INCORRECT. The observations of EMTs as they approach a residence are an
important part of the scene size-up, which should definitely occur prior to knocking on a
door.
Page Ref: 262
Objective: 11.2
Which of the following situations requires additional action by the EMT during scene
size-up?
A) A vehicle collision involving a tractor-trailer that appears to be empty.
B) The sound of a barking and growling dog upon approaching the door to a residence.
, C) A bystander who is smoking a cigarette at the scene of an assault at a local park.
D) A news media helicopter arrives and hovers overhead at the scene of a vehicle
collision. - Answer -A) INCORRECT. No specific additional actions would be necessary
if the tractor-trailer involved in a collision was not carrying cargo. If it were carrying
cargo, the EMT would need to try and determine if any potentially hazardous materials
were present.
B) CORRECT. For obvious safety reasons, the presence of a dog would change the
way an EMT approaches the scene. The additional actions may involve instructing the
patient or other resident to secure the dog prior to entry or perhaps even summoning
animal control or law enforcement.
C) INCORRECT. This bystander does not necessarily pose a hazard just by smoking a
cigarette in a public park.
D) INCORRECT. No additional scene size-up actions would be required due to a news
helicopter flying above the scene; awareness of the potential hazards posed by a
hovering helicopter and a consciousness of being filmed while performing care are
sufficient.
Page Ref: 265
Objective: 11.3
You are called to a motor vehicle collision where the car is on fire. You should ensure
safety by:
A) borrowing turnout gear from the fire department.
B) remaining a safe distance from the car until the fire is out.
C) putting your unit back in service and leaving the scene.
D) using your fire extinguisher to put out the fire. - Answer -A) INCORRECT. EMTs are
not traditionally trained and equipped to fight fire. To exceed that role opens the EMT up
to serious injury when doing something that he or she is not trained and equipped to do.
B) CORRECT. The function of an EMT is to assess and treat patients, not fight fires. Try
to be up hill and upwind to avoid dangerous fumes or potential fluids.
C) INCORRECT. Leaving the scene would be a breach of duty to care for any potential
patients once the fire is out.
D) INCORRECT. EMTs are not trained or expected to fight fires; it would be unsafe for
medical responders to try and extinguish this care fire.
Page Ref: 265
Objective: 11.3
As you arrive at the scene of a house fire, a very upset man screams at you to help his
young son, who is trapped under a piece of burning wood on the ground. Which of the
following should you do first?
A) With the father's help, grab the boy by the arms and pull him from underneath the
wood.
B) Size-up the scene before acting.
C) Perform an initial assessment on the patient.
D) Use a blanket to put out the fire on the piece of wood. - Answer -A) INCORRECT.
Immediately reacting like this can cause additional injuries and danger from unseen
hazards.
