EMT Chapter 41 Terrorism Response and Disaster Management

Which of the following would you expect to encounter in a patient with moderate radiation toxicity?

A. Nausea, dizziness, and headache

B. White blood cell death and cancer

C. Second- and third-degree burns

D. Hair loss and first-degree burns

D. hair loss and first-degree burns

You are treating a patient who experienced a significant exposure to cyanide. He is semiconscious and is breathing inadequately. The most appropriate method of providing assisted ventilations to this patient is to:

A. use a bag-valve mask.

B. request a paramedic unit to intubate.

C. perform mouth-to-mask ventilations.

D. perform mouth-to-mouth ventilations.

A. use a bag-valve mask

__________ rays easily penetrate through the human body and require lead or several inches of concrete to prevent penetration.

A. Neutron

B. Gamma

C. Beta

D. Alpha

B. gamma

Cross-contamination occurs when:

A. an EMT has direct contact with a chemical agent at a terrorist incident.

B. an EMT provides care to a victim after the victim has been decontaminated.

C. an EMT is exposed to a victim who has not yet been decontaminated.

D. two EMTs are exposed to the same agent after being decontaminated.

C. an EMT is exposed to a victim who has not yet been decontaminated

The primary route of exposure of vesicant agents is the:

A. respiratory tract.

B. vascular system.

C. skin.

D. nervous system.

C. skin

Exposure to _________ would most likely result in immediate respiratory distress.

A. soman

B. tabun

C. chlorine

D. lewisite

C. chlorine

A 52-year-old male presents with a fever of 102.5°F and a severe headache. As you assess him, you note the presence of multiple blisters on his face and chest, which are all identical in shape and size. This patient's clinical presentation is most consistent with:

A. yellow fever virus.

B. smallpox.

C. sarin toxicity.

D. cutaneous anthrax.

B. smallpox

Which of the following is not a factor in determining how to protect oneself against the effects of radiation?

A. Body size

B. Shielding

C. Time

D. Distance

A. body size

Multiple people in a small town began experiencing abdominal cramps, excessive salivation and urination, and muscle twitching shortly after a small crop duster plane made several passes over the community. As you are assessing the patients, you further determine that most of them are bradycardic and have miosis. In addition to high-flow oxygen, the mostappropriate treatment for these patients includes:

A. epinephrine and hyperbaric oxygen.

B. amyl nitrate and naloxone.

C. activated charcoal and glucose.

D. atropine and pralidoxime chloride.

D. atropine and pralidoxime chloride

The means by which a terrorist will spread a particular agent is called:

A. weaponization.

B. dissemination.

C. incubation.

D. aerosolization.

B. dissemination

The 1996 Summer Olympics bombing is an example of:

A. an ecoterrorist attack.

B. apocalyptic violence.

C. state-sponsored terrorism.

D. domestic terrorism.

D. domestic terrorism

When multiple patients present with an acute onset of difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and hoarseness or stridor, you should be most suspicious of exposure to:

A. a vesicant agent.

B. a nerve agent.

C. sarin or soman.

D. phosgene or chlorine.

D. phosgene or chlorine

Symptoms of both inhaled and ingested ricin include:

A. fever and headache.

B. joint pain and bradycardia.

C. liver necrosis and diarrhea.

D. dehydration and convulsions.

A. fever and headache

Which of the following statements regarding blast injuries is correct?

A. Solid organs such as the middle ear, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract are the most susceptible to pressure changes.

B. Tertiary blast injuries are penetrating or nonpenetrating injuries that result from flying debris, such as ordnance projectiles.

C. The gastrointestinal tract is the organ system most sensitive to blast injuries and is the leading cause of death following an explosion.

D. Solid organs are relatively protected from shock wave injury but might be injured during the secondary or tertiary blast phase.

D. solid organs are relatively protected from shock wave injury but might be injured during the secondary or tertiary blast phase

You are assessing a 30-year-old female who presents with respiratory distress and tachycardia after she opened a package that was delivered to her home. The patient tells you that there was a fine white powder on the package, but she did not think it was important. This patient has most likely been exposed to:

A. Ebola.

B. a neurotoxin.

C. anthrax.

D. botulinum.

C. anthrax

An attack on an abortion clinic would most likely be carried out by a(n):

A. extremist political group.

B. single-issue group.

C. doomsday cult.

D. violent religious group.

B. single-issue group

If the incident command system is already established at the scene of a terrorist attack, the EMT should:

A. remain in the rehabilitation area until he or she is assigned a task.

B. begin triaging patients and start treating the most critical ones.

C. contact the EMS medical director and obtain further instructions.

D. locate the medical staging officer to obtain his or her assignment.

D. locate the medical staging officer to obtain his or her assignment

The process performed to artificially maximize the target population's exposure to a biologic agent, thereby exposing the greatest number of people and achieving the desired result, is called:

A. dissemination.

B. weaponization.

C. alkalization.

D. potentiation.

B. weaponization

Initial signs and symptoms associated with viral hemorrhagic fevers include:

A. headache and sore throat.

B. severe abdominal muscle spasms.

C. joint pain and unequal pupils.

D. acute onset of double vision.

A. headache and sore thorat

A disease vector is defined as:

A. any agent that acts as a carrier or transporter.

B. the period of time between exposure and illness.

C. the spectrum of signs that define a disease.

D. the ability of a virus or bacterium to be spread.

A. any agent that acts as a carrier or transporter

Phosgene (CG) has an odor that resembles:

A. bleach.

B. cut grass.

C. garlic.

D. almonds.

B. cut grass

To date, the preferred weapons of mass destruction for terrorists have been:

A. biologic weapons.

B. explosive weapons.

C. nuclear weapons.

D. chemical weapons.

B. explosive weapons

The type and severity of wounds sustained from incendiary and explosive devices primarily depend on the:

A. pressure that is generated from the explosion itself.

B. size of the structure that was involved in the explosion.

C. patient's distance from the epicenter of the explosion.

D. type of material used to manufacture the device.

C. patient's distance from the epicenter of the explosion

Terrorist attacks:

A. only involve the use of nuclear explosive devices.

B. pose a threat to nations and cultures everywhere.

C. require multiple terrorists working together.

D. are mainly carried out by fewer than three people.

B. pose a threat to nations and cultures everywhere

The incubation period for Ebola can be up to:

A. 6 months.

B. 1 week.

C. 72 hours.

D. 21 days.

D. 21 days

Most cases of anthrax begin with:

A. respiratory distress.

B. flulike symptoms.

C. pulmonary edema.

D. signs of shock.

B. flulike symptoms

Points of distribution (PODs) are strategically placed facilities where:

A. chemical and biologic weapons are stockpiled.

B. weapons of mass destruction are distributed.

C. antidotes, antibiotics, and vaccines are distributed.

D. chemical weapons are manufactured and distributed.

C. antidotes, antibiotics, and vaccines are distributed

Nerve agents were first discovered while in search of a superior:

A. pesticide.

B. vaccine.

C. detergent.

D. antibiotic.

A. pesticide

At present, the likelihood of a nuclear attack against the United States is very low because:

A. terrorist nations do not have the ability to deliver a nuclear weapon via missile or bomb.

B. other than the United States, no other countries are currently in possession of nuclear weapons.

C. the United States has an effective early warning system to detect an incoming nuclear missile.

D. all nuclear devices or weapons that different countries are in possession of are currently accounted for.

A. terrorist nations do not have the ability to deliver a nuclear weapon via missile or bomb

All of the following biologic agents or diseases can be transmitted from person to person, except:

A. viral hemorrhagic fevers.

B. smallpox.

C. ricin.

D. pneumonic plague.

C. ricin

The primary clinical feature associated with exposure to phosgene oxime is:

A. skin blistering.

B. a red rash.

C. miosis.

D. bradycardia.

A. skin blistering

Continual reassessment of the scene at a suspected terrorist or weapon of mass destruction incident is most important because:

A. terrorists are often at the scene after an attack.

B. weather conditions might change quickly.

C. bystanders might destroy the evidence.

D. a secondary explosive device might detonate.

D. a secondary explisve device might detonate

The skin lesions associated with smallpox:

A. are of different shapes and sizes.

B. develop early during the disease.

C. are identical in their development.

D. initially form on the lower trunk.

C. are identical in their development

A persistent or nonvolatile chemical agent can:

A. remain in the environment for many weeks.

B. evaporate quickly when left on a surface.

C. explode without warning and release gases.

D. remain on a surface for more than 24 hours.

D. remain on a surface for more than 24 hours

Unlike viruses and bacteria, neurotoxins:

A. are not contagious.

B. cause skin blistering.

C. have a slow onset of symptoms.

D. cause high fever.

A. are not contagious

In determining the potential for a terrorist attack, you should routinely observe all of the following on every call, except:

A. the type of call.

B. the location type.

C. weather conditions.

D. victim's statements.

C. weather conditions

All of the following are vesicant agents, except:

A. sulfur mustard.

B. phosgene oxime.

C. lewisite.

D. sarin.

D. sarin

The EMT should expect that a patient who was exposed to cyanide will have:

A. an abnormally slow respiratory rate.

B. a normal pulse oximetry reading.

C. an abnormally slow pulse rate.

D. skin that is cherry red and hot.

B. a normal pulse oximetry reading

Botulinum is:

A. an acute viral infection.

B. a potent bacterial neurotoxin.

C. a disease of the leukocytes.

D. rarely associated with death.

B. a potent bacterial neurotoxin

Which of the following statements regarding anthrax is correct?

A. There is presently no vaccine against anthrax.

B. Cutaneous anthrax has a 90% mortality rate.

C. Anthrax is a deadly virus that replicates.

D. Pulmonary anthrax is the deadliest form.

D. pulmonary anthrax is the deadliest form