West Coast EMT Block One Exam

What should be your first action upon arriving at a HazMat incident with several patients?

1. Divert traffic away from the scene

2. Carefully assess the situation

3. Rope off the entire perimeter

4. Retrieve all critical patients

The correct answer is: Carefully assess the situation

Upon arriving at a HazMat incident with several patients, the priority should be to carefully assess the situation. This initial assessment is critical because it allows you to evaluate the environment for potential hazards that could endanger both victims and responders. Understanding the scene involves identifying the type of hazardous material involved, the number of patients, their condition, and any other environmental factors that may contribute to the risk of further injury or exposure. This assessment helps in making informed decisions about the next steps, such as the need for personal protective equipment, the safety of accessing patients, and the implementation of appropriate decontamination procedures. It is essential to ensure that the scene is safe before taking further actions, such as treating patients or containing the incident. Diverting traffic or roping off a perimeter may be necessary actions later, but they should not take precedence over understanding the immediate dangers present. Similarly, retrieving critical patients without a thorough evaluation of the scene could put first responders and other patients at further risk. Hence, a careful assessment is the most suitable first action in this scenario.