TECC Refresher Exam 2026/2027 | 300 Practice Questions, Answers &
Detailed Rationales | Tactical Emergency Casualty Care
What does TECC stand for?
A. Tactical Emergency Casualty Care
B. Trauma Emergency Clinical Care
C. Tactical Emergency Critical Control
D. Trauma Evacuation Casualty Coordination
Answer: A
Rationale: TECC stands for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care. It
addresses care of injured patients in civilian tactical and high-threat
environments.
What is the primary purpose of TECC?
A. Replace all EMS protocols
B. Provide principles for managing trauma in tactical or high-threat
environments
C. Train only hospital surgeons
D. Eliminate the need for evacuation
Answer: B
Rationale: TECC provides a framework for delivering appropriate
trauma care while accounting for threats, limited resources, tactical
conditions, and evacuation requirements.
Which three phases are central to TECC?
A. Assessment, treatment, discharge
B. Hot, warm, cold only
C. Direct Threat, Indirect Threat, and Evacuation
D. Rescue, surgery, rehabilitation
Answer: C
Rationale: C-TECC describes care in three dynamic phases: Direct
Threat Care, Indirect Threat Care, and Evacuation Care. (C-TeCC)
During Direct Threat Care, what is the highest priority?
A. Performing a complete secondary assessment
B. Neutralizing or mitigating the immediate threat while providing
,feasible lifesaving care
C. Starting an IV on every casualty
D. Obtaining a complete medical history
Answer: B
Rationale: The responder must first avoid becoming another
casualty and help mitigate the immediate threat. Only immediately
necessary lifesaving interventions should be performed when
feasible.
Which statement about TECC phases is correct?
A. They are based only on geographic location
B. They are completely rigid
C. They are dynamic and influenced by the current threat
environment
D. They apply only to military combat
Answer: C
Rationale: TECC phases correspond to the current operational threat
and can change as the situation evolves.
What is the main goal of Indirect Threat Care?
A. Delay evacuation until every injury is treated
B. Stabilize the casualty while preparing for safe extraction and
continued care
C. Perform definitive surgery
D. Conduct only psychological assessment
Answer: B
Rationale: Indirect Threat Care occurs after the immediate threat has
been sufficiently mitigated and focuses on lifesaving care,
stabilization, reassessment, and preparation for evacuation.
Which principle is appropriate during a continuing threat?
A. Responder safety is irrelevant
B. A responder should expose themselves whenever a casualty is
injured
,C. Care must be balanced against the tactical environment
D. Every casualty must receive a full examination immediately
Answer: C
Rationale: TECC integrates medical priorities with operational safety.
Unnecessary exposure can create additional casualties.
Which mnemonic may be used to organize TECC priorities?
A. SAMPLE only
B. MARCH
C. OPQRST only
D. AVPU only
Answer: B
Rationale: MARCH represents Massive Hemorrhage, Airway,
Respirations, Circulation, and Head injury/Hypothermia. C-TECC also
recognizes X-ABCDE as another organizational approach. (C-TeCC)
In MARCH, what does the “M” represent?
A. Mental status
B. Major trauma
C. Massive hemorrhage
D. Medication
Answer: C
Rationale: Massive hemorrhage is addressed first because
uncontrolled exsanguination can cause death very rapidly.
In MARCH, what does the “A” represent?
A. Airway
B. Assessment
C. Ambulance
D. Analgesia
Answer: A
Rationale: After addressing massive hemorrhage, airway
management is considered according to the casualty's condition and
the operational environment.
In MARCH, what does the “R” represent?
, A. Rescue
B. Respiration
C. Recovery
D. Rehabilitation
Answer: B
Rationale: Respirations include evaluating and treating life-
threatening breathing problems, particularly chest trauma.
In MARCH, what does the “C” represent?
A. Circulation
B. Consciousness
C. Communication
D. Casualty movement
Answer: A
Rationale: Circulation includes recognition and management of
shock and other circulation problems after immediate hemorrhage
control.
What does the “H” in MARCH represent?
A. Hemorrhage only
B. Head injury and hypothermia
C. Hospital destination
D. Hazards
Answer: B
Rationale: The H reminds the provider to consider significant head
injury and prevention or treatment of hypothermia.
What does the “X” in X-ABCDE represent?
A. Exposure
B. Exsanguination
C. Examination
D. Extraction
Answer: B
Rationale: X-ABCDE places exsanguination or catastrophic bleeding
before the traditional ABCDE sequence.
Detailed Rationales | Tactical Emergency Casualty Care
What does TECC stand for?
A. Tactical Emergency Casualty Care
B. Trauma Emergency Clinical Care
C. Tactical Emergency Critical Control
D. Trauma Evacuation Casualty Coordination
Answer: A
Rationale: TECC stands for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care. It
addresses care of injured patients in civilian tactical and high-threat
environments.
What is the primary purpose of TECC?
A. Replace all EMS protocols
B. Provide principles for managing trauma in tactical or high-threat
environments
C. Train only hospital surgeons
D. Eliminate the need for evacuation
Answer: B
Rationale: TECC provides a framework for delivering appropriate
trauma care while accounting for threats, limited resources, tactical
conditions, and evacuation requirements.
Which three phases are central to TECC?
A. Assessment, treatment, discharge
B. Hot, warm, cold only
C. Direct Threat, Indirect Threat, and Evacuation
D. Rescue, surgery, rehabilitation
Answer: C
Rationale: C-TECC describes care in three dynamic phases: Direct
Threat Care, Indirect Threat Care, and Evacuation Care. (C-TeCC)
During Direct Threat Care, what is the highest priority?
A. Performing a complete secondary assessment
B. Neutralizing or mitigating the immediate threat while providing
,feasible lifesaving care
C. Starting an IV on every casualty
D. Obtaining a complete medical history
Answer: B
Rationale: The responder must first avoid becoming another
casualty and help mitigate the immediate threat. Only immediately
necessary lifesaving interventions should be performed when
feasible.
Which statement about TECC phases is correct?
A. They are based only on geographic location
B. They are completely rigid
C. They are dynamic and influenced by the current threat
environment
D. They apply only to military combat
Answer: C
Rationale: TECC phases correspond to the current operational threat
and can change as the situation evolves.
What is the main goal of Indirect Threat Care?
A. Delay evacuation until every injury is treated
B. Stabilize the casualty while preparing for safe extraction and
continued care
C. Perform definitive surgery
D. Conduct only psychological assessment
Answer: B
Rationale: Indirect Threat Care occurs after the immediate threat has
been sufficiently mitigated and focuses on lifesaving care,
stabilization, reassessment, and preparation for evacuation.
Which principle is appropriate during a continuing threat?
A. Responder safety is irrelevant
B. A responder should expose themselves whenever a casualty is
injured
,C. Care must be balanced against the tactical environment
D. Every casualty must receive a full examination immediately
Answer: C
Rationale: TECC integrates medical priorities with operational safety.
Unnecessary exposure can create additional casualties.
Which mnemonic may be used to organize TECC priorities?
A. SAMPLE only
B. MARCH
C. OPQRST only
D. AVPU only
Answer: B
Rationale: MARCH represents Massive Hemorrhage, Airway,
Respirations, Circulation, and Head injury/Hypothermia. C-TECC also
recognizes X-ABCDE as another organizational approach. (C-TeCC)
In MARCH, what does the “M” represent?
A. Mental status
B. Major trauma
C. Massive hemorrhage
D. Medication
Answer: C
Rationale: Massive hemorrhage is addressed first because
uncontrolled exsanguination can cause death very rapidly.
In MARCH, what does the “A” represent?
A. Airway
B. Assessment
C. Ambulance
D. Analgesia
Answer: A
Rationale: After addressing massive hemorrhage, airway
management is considered according to the casualty's condition and
the operational environment.
In MARCH, what does the “R” represent?
, A. Rescue
B. Respiration
C. Recovery
D. Rehabilitation
Answer: B
Rationale: Respirations include evaluating and treating life-
threatening breathing problems, particularly chest trauma.
In MARCH, what does the “C” represent?
A. Circulation
B. Consciousness
C. Communication
D. Casualty movement
Answer: A
Rationale: Circulation includes recognition and management of
shock and other circulation problems after immediate hemorrhage
control.
What does the “H” in MARCH represent?
A. Hemorrhage only
B. Head injury and hypothermia
C. Hospital destination
D. Hazards
Answer: B
Rationale: The H reminds the provider to consider significant head
injury and prevention or treatment of hypothermia.
What does the “X” in X-ABCDE represent?
A. Exposure
B. Exsanguination
C. Examination
D. Extraction
Answer: B
Rationale: X-ABCDE places exsanguination or catastrophic bleeding
before the traditional ABCDE sequence.