Term
Why are Immediate (Red) and Delayed (Yellow) areas close together in the medical area?
(CERT Manual Page 4-11) |
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Definition
The "I" and "D" areas should be relatively close to each other to allow:
Verbal communication between workers in the treatment areas
Shared access to medical supplies (which should be cached in a central location)
Easy transfer of patients whose status has changed victims who have been identified with minor injuries may choose to stay at the treatment area or leave. If they stay, they can assist CERT personnel. If they leave, it should be documented. |
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Term
Why are victims in a treatment area positioned head-to-toe?
(CERT Manual Page 4-11) |
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Definition
Patients in the treatment area should be positioned in a head-to-toe configuration, with 2 to 3 feet between victims. This system will provide:
Effective use of space
Effective use of available personnel.
As a team member finishes one head-to-toe assessment, he or she turns around and is at the head of the next patient. |
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Term
| What do you document in the treatment area? (CERT Manual Page 4-13) |
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Definition
It is very important to thoroughly document the victims in the treatment area, including:
Name, address, and phone number if victim is able to talk
Description (age, sex, body build, estimated height)
Clothing
Injuries
Treatment
Transfer location |
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Term
What are the objectives of a Head-to-Toe Assessment?
(CERT Manual Page 4-14) |
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Definition
The objectives of a head-to-toe assessment are to:
Determine, as clearly as possible, the extent of injuries
Determine what type of treatment is needed
Document injuries
Remember to always wear your safety equipment when conducting head-to-toe assessments. |
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Term
What are you checking for in a Head-to-Toe Assessment?
(CERT Manual Page 4-15) |
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Definition
The medical community uses the acronym DCAP-BTLS to remember what to look for when conducting a rapid assessment.
DCAP-BTLS stands for the following: - Deformities - Contusions (bruising) - Abrasions - Punctures - Burns - Tenderness - Lacerations - Swelling
When conducting a head-to-toe assessment, CERT members should look for DCAP-BTLS in all parts of the body. Remember to provide IMMEDIATE treatment for life-threatening injuries. You should pay careful attention to how people have been hurt (the mechanism of injury) because it provides insight to probable injuries suffered. |
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Term
Are Head-to-Toe Assessments performed on green-tagged victims?
(CERT Manual Page 4-16) |
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Definition
Head-to-toe assessments should be:
Conducted on all victims, even those who seem all right
Verbal (if the patient is able to speak)
Hands-on. Do not be afraid to remove clothing to look. |
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Term
Public Health Considerations
(CERT Manual Page 4-2) |
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Definition
The primary public health measures include:
Maintaining proper hygiene
Maintaining proper sanitation
Purifying water (if necessary)
Preventing the spread of disease |
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Term
What is the difference between a dressing and a bandage?
(CERT Manual Page 4-25) |
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Definition
A dressing is applied directly to the wound. Whenever possible, a dressing should be sterile.
A bandage holds the dressing in place. If a wound is still bleeding, the bandage should place enough pressure on the wound to help control bleeding without interfering with circulation. |
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Term
How can you treat wounds?
(CERT Manual Page 4-25) |
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Definition
The main treatment for wounds includes:
Control bleeding
Clean the wound
Apply dressing and bandage |
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Term
What are the four signs of infection?
(CERT Manual Page 4-26) |
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Definition
Signs of possible infection include:
Swelling around the wound site
Discoloration
Discharge from the wound
Red striations from the wound site |
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Term
With an amputation, what do you do with a severed body part?
(CERT Manual Page 4-26) |
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Definition
The main treatments for an amputation (the traumatic severing of a limb or other body part) are to:
Control bleeding
Treat shock
When the severed body part can be located, CERT members should:
Save tissue parts, wrapped in clean material and placed in a plastic bag, if available. Label them with the date, time, and victim's name.
Keep the tissue parts cool, but NOT in direct contact with ice
Keep the severed part with the victim |
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Term
How do you treat a victim with an impaled object?
(CERT Manual Page 4-27) |
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Definition
Sometimes, you may encounter some victims who have foreign objects lodged in their bodies - usually as the result of flying debris during the disaster. When a foreign object is impaled in a patient's body, you should:
Immobilize the affected body part
Not attempt to move or remove the object, unless it is obstructing the airway
Try to control bleeding at the entrance wound without placing undue pressure on the foreign object
Clean and dress the wound making sure to stabilize the impaled object. Wrap bulky dressings around the object to keep it from moving. |
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Term
What is a closed fracture?
(CERT Manual Page 4-27) |
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Definition
| A closed fracture is a broken bone with no associated wound. First aid treatment for closed fractures may require only splinting. |
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Term
What is an open fracture?
(CERT Manual Page 4-27) |
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Definition
| An open fracture is a broken bone with some kind of wound that allows contaminants to enter into or around the fracture site. |
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Term
Where do you immobilize a fracture?
(CERT Manual Page 4-27) |
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Definition
| The objective when treating a suspected fracture, sprain, or strain is to immobilize the injury and the joints immediately above and below the injury site. |
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Term
What is a displaced fracture?
(CERT Manual Page 4-29) |
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Definition
| If the limb is angled, then there is a displaced fracture. Displaced fractures may be described by the degree of displacement of the bone fragments. |
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Term
How do you treat an open fracture?
(CERT Manual Page 4-29) |
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Definition
Open fractures are more dangerous than closed fractures because they pose a significant risk of severe bleeding and infection. Therefore, they are a higher priority and need to be checked more frequently. When treating an open fracture:
Do not draw the exposed bone ends back into the tissue.
Do not irrigate the wound. You should - Cover the wound with a sterile dressing - Splint the fracture without disturbing the wound
Place a moist 4 by 4-inch dressing over the bone end to keep it from drying out |
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Term
Can peroxide be used to clean wounds when no purified water is available?
(CERT Manual Page 4-3) |
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Definition
| Rescuers should not put anything on wounds other than purified water. The use of other solutions (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) on wounds must be the decision of trained medical personnel. |
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Term
Maintaining Sanitation
(CERT Manual Page 4-3) |
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Definition
Poor sanitation is a major cause of infection. CERT medical operations personnel can maintain sanitary conditions by:
Controlling the disposal of bacterial sources (e.g., soiled exam gloves, dressings, etc.)
Putting waste products in plastic bags, tying off the bags, and marking them as medical waste. Keep medical waste separate from other trash, and dispose of it as hazardous waste.
Burying human waste. Select a burial site away from the operations area and mark the burial site for later cleanup. |
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Term
| What is a sprain? (CERT Manual Page 4-31) |
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Definition
| A sprain involves a stretching or tearing of ligaments at a joint and is usually caused by stretching or extending the joint beyond its normal limits. |
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Term
| What are the most common signs of a sprain? (CERT Manual Page 4-31) |
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Definition
The most common signs of a sprain are:
Tenderness at the site of the injury
Swelling and/or bruising
Restricted use or loss of use |
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Term
What is a dislocation?
(CERT Manual Page 4-31) |
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Definition
| A dislocation is an injury to the ligaments around a joint that is so severe that it permits a separation of the bone from its normal position in a joint. |
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Term
What is an anatomical splint?
(CERT Manual Page 4-32) |
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Definition
Anatomical splints may also be created by securing a fractured bone to an adjacent unfractured bone. Anatomical splints are usually reserved for fingers and toes, but, in an emergency, legs may also be splinted together.
Soft materials should be used to fill the gap between the splinting material and the body part.
With this type of injury, there will be swelling. Remove restrictive clothing, shoes, and jewelry when necessary to prevent these items from acting as unintended tourniquets. |
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Term
What are the five major functions of disaster medical operations?
(CERT Manual Page 4-4) |
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Definition
Triage - The initial assessment and sorting of victims for treatment based on the severity of their injuries
Treatment - The disaster medical services provided to victims
Transport - The movement of victims from incident location to the treatment area
Morgue - The temporary holding area for victims who have died at the treatment area. Those who are tagged as "Dead" during triage are not removed from the incident site.
Supply - The hub for crucial supply procurement and distribution |
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Term
What are the classifications of burns?
(CERT Manual Page 4-42) |
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Definition
Burns are classified as superficial (first degree), partial thickness (second degree), or full thickness (third degree) depending on severity and the depth of skin layers involved.
Treatment for burns involves removing the source of the burn, cooling the burn, and covering it.
For full thickness burns, always treat for shock. |
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Term
When do you remove a dressing and when do you apply new dressing over existing?
(CERT Manual Page 4-43) |
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Definition
In the absence of active bleeding, dressings must be removed and the wound checked for infection at least every 4 to 6 hours.
If there is active bleeding, a new dressing should be placed over the existing dressing. |
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Term
When does a treatment area get established?
(CERT Manual Page 4-6) |
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Definition
Because time is critical when CERTs activate, CERT medical operations personnel will need to select a site and set up a treatment area as soon as injured victims are confirmed. Determining the best location(s) for the CERT treatment area should include the following overall considerations:
Safety for rescuers and victims
Most effective use of resources, e.g., CERT members themselves, time, medical supplies |
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Term
Where should a treatment area be?
(CERT Manual Page 4-42) |
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Definition
Treatment areas should be:
In a safe area that is close to, but uphill, upwind, and, if possible, upstream from the hazard area
Accessible by transportation vehicles
Expandable |
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Term
Why would you remove clothes, shoes and jewelry when splinting?
(CERT Manual Page 4-32) |
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Definition
| Remove restrictive clothing, shoes, and jewelry when necessary to prevent these items from acting as unintended tourniquets. |
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