What is the first priority after ensuring scene safety at an emergency scene?

• A. Administer oxygen to the patient
• B. Scene safety and personal protection
• C. Obtain a full medical history
• D. Begin intravenous access

Answer: (B)

The most important step is protecting yourself first. Even before helping the patient, you must ensure you’re protected with the appropriate PPE and that the scene remains safe. This allows you to approach without exposing yourself to hazards like bloodborne pathogens, chemical exposure, or violence, and it prevents you from becoming a patient for another emergency while trying to help. Once you have verified scene safety and are protected, you can proceed with the patient assessment and interventions in a safe, controlled way.

Administering oxygen, obtaining a full medical history, and starting IV access are all important parts of patient care, but they come after establishing personal protection and ongoing scene safety. Starting with oxygen or history is not as critical as ensuring you and the scene are secure, and IV access is a later intervention once the primary survey and immediate threats to life have been addressed.