North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

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Prepare for the North Carolina EMT State Exam with interactive quizzes and comprehensive explanations. Master your skills and gain confidence by reviewing key topics before test day!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What action must the first EMS professional on-scene take before treating patients in an MCI?

Conduct a secondary assessment
Start the triage process
Alert the incident commander
Identify all available resources

The correct answer is: Start the triage process

In a mass casualty incident (MCI), the first EMS professional on the scene must prioritize the triage process before engaging in treatment of patients. Triage is a systematic approach to assess and categorize patients based on the severity of their injuries and the urgency of their need for medical assistance. This ensures that resources are allocated effectively, particularly when there are more patients than available personnel and equipment. By starting the triage process, the first EMS professional can quickly identify those who are critically injured and require immediate intervention, as well as those who may be stable and able to wait for treatment. This prioritization is crucial in an MCI context, as it maximizes the chances of survival for the greatest number of patients. Once triage is underway, other tasks, such as alerting an incident commander or identifying resources, can follow as the situation allows.