Rescue Techniques & Emergency Response Flashcards
7 cards from real ASC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Rescue Techniques & Emergency Response flashcards as text
When organizing a hasty search after an avalanche, what is the FIRST action rescuers should take before probing?
Answer: Visually scan the debris surface for clues and partially buried victims
A rapid visual scan of the debris surface often locates clues or partially buried victims before systematic probing begins.
What does the term 'critical burial time' refer to in avalanche rescue?
Answer: The 15-minute window before survival odds drop sharply due to asphyxiation
Survival rates drop sharply after approximately 15 minutes of burial due to asphyxiation, making rapid response critical.
In a strategic probe search, what is the standard spacing between probe holes in coarse probe mode?
Answer: 75 cm
Coarse probe mode uses 75 cm spacing between holes and between searchers, sacrificing thoroughness for speed.
A rescue team locates a buried victim via beacon. What is the correct order of operations to complete the rescue?
Answer: Probe exact location → dig strategically → clear airway immediately upon exposure
Probing pinpoints exact burial depth, strategic digging minimizes snow displacement, and airway clearance is the first medical priority upon exposure.
When digging to a buried victim, why is it recommended to create a V-shaped trench downhill from the burial point?
Answer: It uses gravity to help eject excavated snow and gives diggers efficient leverage
A downhill V-trench lets gravity remove excavated snow efficiently and allows multiple diggers to work simultaneously without interference.
What does 'beacon search bracketing' mean?
Answer: Narrowing the search by moving perpendicular to the signal when the beacon reading increases
Bracketing involves moving perpendicular to signal flux lines to narrow the search grid when the distance reading begins increasing.
After a victim is fully excavated, what is the immediate medical priority before moving them?
Answer: Assess and open the airway, then check for breathing and pulse
Airway assessment and breathing/pulse check are the first steps of emergency care because asphyxiation is the leading cause of avalanche death.