Patient care during hazmat incident should proceed to

• A. Treat life-threatening conditions first if necessary.
• B. Decontaminate before any treatment.
• C. Treat non-life-threatening injuries first.
• D. Move patient away from scene before any care.

Answer: (A)

In a hazmat situation, the priority is to save the patient by treating life-threatening conditions first. Quickly assess for airway, breathing, and circulation problems and begin the necessary life-saving interventions immediately, using proper PPE and scene safety. Decontamination is important to prevent further exposure, but it should not delay critical care; it can run in parallel with treatment or follow stabilization. Moving the patient away from the scene before any care is generally not appropriate because it can waste precious time, unless evacuation is required to ensure overall safety while care is underway.