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Referencing the content of EMT-Basic training and emergency patient care

EMT Basic · Chapter 40

Incident Management

Learning objectives (21)

  1. Contrast a disaster with a mass-casualty incident — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  2. Define hazardous material; include the classification system used by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  3. Demonstrate how to perform triage based on a fictional scenario that involves a mass-casualty incident — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of reference materials to identify a hazardous material — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  5. Describe how the ICS assists EMS in ensuring both personal safety and the safety of bystanders, health care professionals, and patients during an emergency — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  6. Describe how the three control zones are established at a hazmat incident, the characteristics of each zone, and the responders who work within each one — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  7. Describe the four levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) required at a hazmat incident to protect responders from injury by or contamination from a particular substance — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  8. Describe the purpose of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and its major components — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  9. Describe the purpose of the incident command system (ICS) and its organizational structure — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  10. Describe the purpose of the medical branch of the ICS and its organizational structure — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  11. Describe the role of EMTs during a disaster operation — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  12. Describe the role of the EMT in establishing command under the ICS — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  13. Describe the specific conditions that would define a situation as a mass-casualty incident (MCI); include examples — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  14. Describe what occurs during primary and secondary triage, how the four triage categories are assigned to patients on the scene, and how destination decisions regarding triaged pati — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  15. Discuss the specific reference materials that EMTs use to recognize a hazmat incident — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  16. Explain how to perform the START and JumpSTART triage methods — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  17. Explain patient care at a hazmat incident; include the special requirements that are necessary for those patients who require immediate treatment and transport prior to full decont — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  18. Explain the role of EMS response within the ICS — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  19. Explain the role of EMTs during a hazmat incident both before and after the hazmat team arrives; include the precautions required to ensure the safety of civilians and responders — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.
  20. Recognize the entry-level training or experience requirements identified by the HAZWOPER regulation for EMTs to respond to a hazmat incident — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 1485); confirm wording in your course copy.
  21. Using a reference, correctly identify Department of Transportation (DOT) labels, placards, and markings that are used to designate hazardous materials — Knowledge/skills objective (print textbook, Chapter 40); confirm wording in your course copy.

Vocabulary (15)

National Incident Management System (NIMS)
A nationwide framework for managing incidents of any size or complexity through standardized roles and processes.
Incident Command System (ICS)
A standardized on-scene management structure under NIMS that defines roles, communication, and resource flow.
Incident Commander (IC)
The individual responsible for overall management of an incident; has ultimate authority on scene.
Span of control
The number of resources or personnel one supervisor can effectively manage — typically 3 to 7 in incident operations.
Unified Command
A command structure that allows agencies with different legal, geographic, or functional responsibilities to coordinate effectively without giving up authority.
Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)
Any incident in which the number of patients overwhelms immediately available resources, requiring triage and additional support.
Triage
Sorting patients by severity and likelihood of benefit to allocate care when resources are limited.
START triage
Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment — an adult triage algorithm based on respiration, perfusion, and mental status.
JumpSTART triage
A pediatric adaptation of START triage that accounts for unique pediatric physiology, including a respiratory check before tagging as deceased.
Triage categories
Color-coded priorities — Red (immediate), Yellow (delayed), Green (minor), Black (deceased/expectant).
Treatment sector
The area within an MCI where triaged patients receive prioritized care while awaiting transport.
Transportation sector
The ICS function responsible for assigning patients to appropriate vehicles and destinations during an MCI.
Public Information Officer (PIO)
The Command Staff role responsible for public and media communication during an incident.
After Action Report (AAR)
A structured post-incident review that captures what happened, what worked, what didn't, and lessons learned.
Danger
Poison: Highly toxic by all routes

Sequence practice (2 puzzles on Quiz Me)

START triage decision flow

Order the START triage decision checks for adult MCI patients.

  1. Direct walking patients to a Green area (minor)
  2. For remaining patients, check respirations — if absent, position airway; still absent → Black
  3. If respirations >30/min → Red (immediate)
  4. Check perfusion — radial pulse absent or cap refill >2s → Red
  5. Check mental status — cannot follow simple commands → Red
  6. Otherwise → Yellow (delayed)
ICS top-level structure

Order the ICS top-level positions under Command.

  1. Incident Commander
  2. Operations Section
  3. Planning Section
  4. Logistics Section
  5. Finance / Administration Section

Quick fire sample (15 of 15 on Quiz Me)

Poison: Highly toxic by all routes.
  1. Practical first
  2. Danger
  3. JumpSTART triage
  4. Triage categories
A nationwide framework for managing incidents of any size or complexity through standardized roles and processes.
  1. Triage categories
  2. JumpSTART triage
  3. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  4. Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)
A standardized on-scene management structure under NIMS that defines roles, communication, and resource flow.
  1. Incident Command System (ICS)
  2. Triage categories
  3. Span of control
  4. Incident Commander (IC)
The individual responsible for overall management of an incident; has ultimate authority on scene.
  1. Span of control
  2. JumpSTART triage
  3. Incident Commander (IC)
  4. Public Information Officer (PIO)
The number of resources or personnel one supervisor can effectively manage — typically 3 to 7 in incident operations.
  1. Span of control
  2. Incident Command System (ICS)
  3. After Action Report (AAR)
  4. JumpSTART triage
A command structure that allows agencies with different legal, geographic, or functional responsibilities to coordinate effectively without giving up authority.
  1. Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)
  2. After Action Report (AAR)
  3. Unified Command
  4. Triage categories
Any incident in which the number of patients overwhelms immediately available resources, requiring triage and additional support.
  1. Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)
  2. Public Information Officer (PIO)
  3. JumpSTART triage
  4. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Sorting patients by severity and likelihood of benefit to allocate care when resources are limited.
  1. JumpSTART triage
  2. Danger
  3. Triage
  4. Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)
Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment — an adult triage algorithm based on respiration, perfusion, and mental status.
  1. Triage
  2. START triage
  3. Transportation sector
  4. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
A pediatric adaptation of START triage that accounts for unique pediatric physiology, including a respiratory check before tagging as deceased.
  1. JumpSTART triage
  2. Incident Command System (ICS)
  3. START triage
  4. Treatment sector
Color-coded priorities — Red (immediate), Yellow (delayed), Green (minor), Black (deceased/expectant).
  1. Triage categories
  2. Treatment sector
  3. Incident Commander (IC)
  4. Unified Command
The area within an MCI where triaged patients receive prioritized care while awaiting transport.
  1. Transportation sector
  2. JumpSTART triage
  3. Treatment sector
  4. Unified Command
The ICS function responsible for assigning patients to appropriate vehicles and destinations during an MCI.
  1. START triage
  2. Transportation sector
  3. Incident Commander (IC)
  4. Public Information Officer (PIO)
The Command Staff role responsible for public and media communication during an incident.
  1. JumpSTART triage
  2. Treatment sector
  3. Public Information Officer (PIO)
  4. Incident Commander (IC)
A structured post-incident review that captures what happened, what worked, what didn't, and lessons learned.
  1. Triage
  2. Danger
  3. Transportation sector
  4. After Action Report (AAR)

Some topics in this course differ across field references. See when sources disagree on Quiz Me before you teach from this sheet alone.

Full scored drills are on Quiz Me at /courses/nm-emt-b/chapters/40/print/. Answers are not marked on this sheet.