Question

It's 7:30 AM and you arrive on scene of a two car collision involving atleast 6 patients on a foggy corner of a fairly busy country road. The fire department is not there yet and there is smoke and flames showing from both cars. You can hear people crying and cars are already driving around the wreckage to get past the scene. What steps should you take?

A. Begin extrication of the patients while your partner calls for more ambulances

B. Get the fire department en route, establish a safety sone and assist in keeping traffic a safe distance away

C. Traige the most critically injured first and the extricate them in order of severity

D. Inform the patients that you are not allowed by law to enter the zone until it is made safe by law enforcement

Answer 1

In the event of a motor vehicle accident with fire and multiple casualties, the first steps are to call the fire department, establish a safety zone, and ensure traffic is kept at a safe distance until the scene is secure, after which casualties are triaged and treated.

Step-by-step explanation:

Responding to a Motor Vehicle Accident

Upon arriving at the scene of a two-car collision with flames visible and multiple patients involved, your first step should be to ensure the safety of yourself and the individuals involved in the accident. This involves getting the fire department en route immediately due to the presence of fire and smoke. Secondly, it's crucial to establish a safety zone to protect all individuals, including those injured and the responding team, from further harm. While doing so, work to keep traffic a safe distance away, preventing any additional accidents or injuries. Assisting with traffic control may not be within your scope of practice, but due to the immediate danger, it may be necessary until law enforcement arrives.

Given the situation specified, option B is most suitable. Assisting with guard against additional accidents is vital until a perimeter can be adequately secured by law enforcement or other emergency response teams. Once the scene is secure and the fire department is actively managing the flames, triage can begin, and patients can be extricated and provided medical care in order of the severity of their injuries.