Role of emergency services in hazard management MCQs With Answer

Role of emergency services in hazard management MCQs With Answer

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Role of emergency services in hazard management MCQs With Answer

Introduction: Emergency services form the backbone of effective hazard management in pharmaceutical environments and public health incidents. For M.Pharm students, understanding how emergency medical services (EMS), fire and HazMat teams, poison control centres, hospital pharmacies, and regulatory agencies coordinate is essential. This collection of MCQs explores operational roles, triage, decontamination, medication management during mass casualties, cold-chain contingencies, legal reporting, and interagency communication. Questions emphasize practical decision-making, protocols, and pharmacist responsibilities during acute incidents. Practicing these scenarios will strengthen preparedness, improve rapid response skills, and enhance patient safety and continuity of medication therapy during emergencies.

Q1. Which is the primary role of emergency services in hazard management at a pharmaceutical facility?

  • Rapid response and immediate control of hazards
  • Long-term environmental remediation only
  • Product quality assurance and stability testing
  • Routine pharmacovigilance reporting

Correct Answer: Rapid response and immediate control of hazards

Q2. Which service typically leads on-scene triage and initial medical incident management during a mass casualty event?

  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Local public relations office
  • Hospital administration
  • Pharmaceutical quality control team

Correct Answer: Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Q3. At the site of an accidental chemical spill in a manufacturing area, the immediate first action is:

  • Isolate the area and evacuate non-essential and potentially exposed personnel
  • Begin batch testing of affected products
  • Notify customers and list affected lots publicly
  • Wait for regulatory inspectors to arrive before taking action

Correct Answer: Isolate the area and evacuate non-essential and potentially exposed personnel

Q4. During a hospital surge from a chemical exposure incident, the primary role of the hospital pharmacy is to:

  • Ensure rapid supply and dispensing of emergency medications and antidotes
  • Conduct stability testing of all hospital drugs
  • Perform long-term pharmacokinetic studies
  • Issue press releases about medication shortages

Correct Answer: Ensure rapid supply and dispensing of emergency medications and antidotes

Q5. Poison control centers are most commonly operated by which entity to support hazard management?

  • National or regional public health authorities (poison control networks)
  • Individual pharmaceutical manufacturers
  • Local fire stations exclusively
  • International non-governmental organizations only

Correct Answer: National or regional public health authorities (poison control networks)

Q6. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is most appropriate when responding to a cytotoxic drug spill in a compounding area?

  • Impermeable gown, double chemotherapy-rated gloves, and face/eye protection
  • Cotton lab coat and single nitrile gloves
  • Surgical mask and regular gloves
  • No PPE if spill is small

Correct Answer: Impermeable gown, double chemotherapy-rated gloves, and face/eye protection

Q7. In the event of cold-chain failure affecting temperature-sensitive vaccines, the immediate responsibility of emergency services is to:

  • Transfer vaccines to validated backup cold storage and notify public health authorities
  • Continue administration without checking temperatures
  • Dispose of all cold-chain products immediately without assessment
  • Wait 72 hours to see if potency returns

Correct Answer: Transfer vaccines to validated backup cold storage and notify public health authorities

Q8. What is the key function of an Incident Command System (ICS) during multi-agency hazard responses?

  • Provide a structured command, coordination and resource allocation framework across agencies
  • Issue permanent regulatory changes after an incident
  • Perform routine pharmaceutical manufacturing audits
  • Replace local public health leadership permanently

Correct Answer: Provide a structured command, coordination and resource allocation framework across agencies

Q9. Which communication approach is essential for interoperability among emergency services during a large-scale incident?

  • Plain-language two-way radio communication interoperable across responding agencies
  • Encrypted manufacturer-specific messaging platforms only
  • Social media posts as the primary method
  • Individual mobile phone text messages to all responders

Correct Answer: Plain-language two-way radio communication interoperable across responding agencies

Q10. Using START triage, a patient who is breathing at 36 breaths/min, has a radial pulse, and follows simple commands should be categorized as:

  • Immediate (Red)
  • Delayed (Yellow)
  • Minor (Green)
  • Deceased/Expectant (Black)

Correct Answer: Immediate (Red)

Q11. For skin exposure to a corrosive chemical, the recommended immediate decontamination step is:

  • Remove contaminated clothing and flush the skin with large amounts of water
  • Apply neutralizing agents without removing clothing
  • Cover the area and transport to hospital without rinsing
  • Use alcohol-based wipes to clean the skin

Correct Answer: Remove contaminated clothing and flush the skin with large amounts of water

Q12. Which of the following best describes a pharmacist’s role in institutional emergency preparedness?

  • Developing and maintaining an emergency drug formulary and protocols for rapid dispensing
  • Only filling routine outpatient prescriptions during an incident
  • Conducting quality control testing of medical devices
  • Managing only billing and insurance tasks

Correct Answer: Developing and maintaining an emergency drug formulary and protocols for rapid dispensing

Q13. When a hazardous release occurs that may affect the public, legal reporting typically requires:

  • Immediate notification to relevant public health and environmental regulatory bodies within mandated timeframes
  • Waiting until a full internal investigation is complete before reporting
  • Notifying customers first and regulators later
  • Reporting only if there are confirmed fatalities

Correct Answer: Immediate notification to relevant public health and environmental regulatory bodies within mandated timeframes

Q14. Which antidotal therapy is indicated as first-line treatment for severe organophosphate pesticide poisoning?

  • Atropine combined with pralidoxime (2-PAM)
  • N-acetylcysteine alone
  • Sodium bicarbonate infusion
  • Activated charcoal only

Correct Answer: Atropine combined with pralidoxime (2-PAM)

Q15. What is the principal role of fire services when responding to a hazardous materials incident at a pharmaceutical plant?

  • Fire suppression, rescue, containment, and HazMat mitigation including decontamination
  • Labeling and repackaging of compromised products
  • Conducting clinical trials for exposed patients
  • Issuing marketing notices about product safety

Correct Answer: Fire suppression, rescue, containment, and HazMat mitigation including decontamination

Q16. Which combination of items is essential in a hospital emergency drug kit for immediate life-saving interventions?

  • Epinephrine, naloxone, and intravenous crystalloids
  • Only multivitamins and topical creams
  • Oral antibiotics only
  • Homeopathic remedies and herbal extracts

Correct Answer: Epinephrine, naloxone, and intravenous crystalloids

Q17. Maintaining chain of custody for samples collected at a contamination scene requires:

  • Proper labeling, sealing, documented transfer logs and preservation of sample integrity
  • Immediate disposal after collection to avoid contamination
  • Allowing unverified personnel to transport samples freely
  • Storing samples with no documentation until tested

Correct Answer: Proper labeling, sealing, documented transfer logs and preservation of sample integrity

Q18. In disasters where alternative or emergency therapeutics are used, pharmacovigilance priorities include:

  • Implementing active surveillance and rapid reporting of adverse events
  • Deferring all adverse event reporting until normal operations resume
  • Reporting only fatal events
  • Only tracking inventory levels without safety monitoring

Correct Answer: Implementing active surveillance and rapid reporting of adverse events

Q19. What is the primary objective of conducting emergency exercises and drills in healthcare and pharmaceutical settings?

  • To test and validate emergency response plans, identify gaps, and improve preparedness
  • To publicly demonstrate capabilities without internal evaluation
  • To replace the need for written emergency procedures
  • To certify staff for unrelated technical competencies

Correct Answer: To test and validate emergency response plans, identify gaps, and improve preparedness

Q20. How can community pharmacies contribute to hazard management and public health during emergencies?

  • Act as first-access points providing essential medications, continuity of therapy, advice and public health information
  • Only remain closed until the emergency ends
  • Divert all patients to hospitals and stop dispensing medication
  • Focus solely on profit-making sales during crises

Correct Answer: Act as first-access points providing essential medications, continuity of therapy, advice and public health information

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