Question 1

Each year in the United States, an estimated ________ of hazardous materials are shipped via road, rail, and pipelines.

Accepted Answer

An estimated 4 billion tons of hazardous materials are shipped each year in the United States, highlighting the vast scale of transportation of potentially dangerous substances via road, rail, and pipelines.

Question 2

Which of the following regarding hazardous materials is provided by the Emergency Response Guide?

Accepted Answer

The Emergency Response Guide provides evacuation distances for the most hazardous materials, as well as other important information such as initial isolation and protective action distances. It does not provide a different UN number for every material listed, special information regarding long-term health and environmental hazards, or specific decontamination and treatment information for each material.

Question 3

Which of the following is used to identify hazardous materials in fixed facilities?

Accepted Answer

The NFPA 704 system, also known as the "fire diamond," is used to identify hazardous materials in fixed facilities. It provides information on the health, flammability, and reactivity hazards of the material as well as any special hazards. DOT placards are used to identify hazardous materials during transportation, SDS (Safety Data Sheets) provide detailed information on chemical properties and hazards for specific products, and CAMEO tags are used to identify substances involved in hazardous material incidents.

Question 4

On the scene of a hazardous materials emergency, which of the following individuals is best suited to serve as incident commander?

Accepted Answer

The answer of On the scene of a hazardous materials...

Question 5

On the National Fire Protection Association hazardous materials classification placard, the blue diamond represents:

Accepted Answer

The blue diamond on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) hazardous materials classification placard represents health hazards. This is part of the NFPA 704 standard, which uses a color-coded diamond to indicate the risks associated with hazardous materials, including health, flammability, and reactivity.

Question 6

Unless specially trained, EMS personnel operate in which of the following zones of a hazardous materials incident?

Accepted Answer

EMS personnel typically operate in the Green zone, which is the safe area away from the hazardous materials.

Question 7

During transport of a patient exposed to a hazardous material, which of the following types of glove provides the paramedic with the best protection during patient care?

Accepted Answer

Nitrile gloves provide the best protection against hazardous materials due to their high level of chemical resistance. Leather and mesh cloth gloves offer little to no protection against chemicals, and latex gloves may be permeable to certain hazardous substances.

Question 8

You have just completed hazmat EMS level 2 training. This means that you are now trained to:

Accepted Answer

Hazmat EMS level 2 training primarily focuses on providing patient care in a hazardous materials incident. This includes assessing and treating patients within the warm zone (an area where there is a potential but lesser risk of contamination) while also taking necessary precautions to prevent exposure to hazardous materials. It does not cover containing spills, evacuating patients, or cleaning up hazardous materials.

Question 9

When providing medical monitoring of hazardous materials personnel, for which of the following should you keep a high index of suspicion?

Accepted Answer

Heat stress is a common concern for hazardous materials personnel due to the heavy protective gear they wear and the physically demanding nature of their work, which can lead to overheating.

Question 10

You have responded to a ranch where three adult male patients are complaining of abdominal cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea. They state they were applying chemicals to a field when they became ill. Based on this, which of the following should you suspect?

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described (abdominal cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea) are consistent with organophosphate poisoning, which can occur through exposure to pesticides and other chemicals commonly used in agricultural settings. Heatstroke would present with other symptoms such as high body temperature and altered mental status. Anhydrous ammonia exposure would cause respiratory symptoms and eye irritation, whereas anthrax exposure would present with flu-like symptoms and respiratory distress.

Question 11

As you approach the scene of a motor vehicle collision, you realize that there is a tanker truck involved and that it has tipped over. Which of the following actions is appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Stopping a safe distance away and using binoculars to locate placards, then referencing the Emergency Response Guide, is the appropriate action to safely identify hazardous materials and determine the correct course of action.

Question 12

Which one of the following statements shows that the paramedic has a proper understanding of basic operations at the scene of a hazardous materials emergency?

Accepted Answer

The statement reflects a proper understanding of prioritizing human life and health over environmental threats in hazardous materials emergencies, aligning with safety protocols that emphasize the protection of individuals first.

Question 13

A substance that may be an acid or an alkali and that can damage the skin and other tissues best describes a(n):

Accepted Answer

A corrosive substance can damage skin and other tissues and may be either an acid or an alkali. Solvents dissolve other substances, irritants cause irritation but not necessarily damage, and desiccants absorb moisture.

Question 14

What is CHEMTREC?

Accepted Answer

CHEMTREC is an organization that provides a 24-hour information hotline for hazardous materials incidents. They offer immediate assistance and information to help with emergency response and management.

Question 15

You have arrived on the scene of a chemical leak at laboratory. The placard has a "1" in the blue diamond and a "4" in the red diamond, which means the material is:

Accepted Answer

The "1" in the blue diamond indicates that the material is flammable, but the "4" in the red diamond indicates that it represents a low health hazard. Therefore, the best choice is A, which states that the material is flammable but represents a low health hazard.

Question 16

You are working the scene of a collision involving a tractor-trailer that is hauling an unknown chemical. Because no material is leaking from the truck and the scene is safe, the incident commander asks you to get the truck's shipping papers. Where would these most likely be located?

Accepted Answer

The shipping papers for a tractor-trailer are typically kept in the cab of the truck with the driver.

Question 17

The most accurate information about a transported substance can be found in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most accurate information about a transported...

Question 18

Which of the following would raise the most suspicion of a hazardous materials incident?

Accepted Answer

Multiple patients with respiratory complaints at a factory would likely indicate a hazardous materials incident, as opposed to the other options which could have various causes.

Question 19

An incident involving which of the following types of vehicles may result in a hazardous materials incident?

Accepted Answer

All of the listed vehicles can transport hazardous materials, and an incident involving any of them could result in a hazardous materials incident.

Question 20

You have entered a manufacturing setting on a call and note a large storage container with a diamond-shaped label. The left side of the label is blue and contains the number 4. The top portion of the label is red and contains the number 1. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

The blue section of the label indicates health hazards, with a rating of 4 meaning it is highly hazardous to health. The red section indicates flammability, with a rating of 1 meaning it poses a low fire risk.

Quiz 13: Hazardous Materials