JBL EMT Practice Exam

After being rescued from a fire and having sooty sputum, the first thing you should do for a patient is to assess their airway and breathing. This is because inhaled smoke and soot can cause airway obstruction and respiratory distress, which can quickly become life-threatening. Starting an IV line or obtaining vital signs are important steps, but they should only be done once the patient's airway and breathing have been assessed and stabilized. Applying a cardiac monitor may also be necessary, but should not take precedence over assessing the airway and breathing. Therefore, C is the most urgent and necessary first step in this situation.