Which of the following is one of the three phases of vehicle extrication?

• A. Scene Lighting
• B. Access creation
• C. Stabilization of victims
• D. Stabilization of the scene

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that protecting and immobilizing the patient during vehicle rescue is a distinct step in the process. Stabilizing the victims means immobilizing the head, neck, and spine and securing the patient so they don’t move during cutting, spreading, or lifting operations. This helps prevent further injury, especially if a spinal injury is involved, and allows the rescuers to work safely while maintaining airway, breathing, and circulation considerations.

Why this fits as one of the three phases: after scene safety and vehicle stabilization, the next critical focus is to control the patient’s movement. Once the patient is stabilized, access and extrication can proceed with minimized risk to the patient’s injuries.

Why the other options aren’t the best fit: scene lighting is a tool used during the operation but not a separate rescue phase. Creating access to the patient is a step within the access phase, but the question emphasizes the phase that centers on the patient’s safety during the rescue, which is stabilization of the victims. Stabilizing the scene refers to keeping the environment safe, but the standard three-phase framework centers on stabilizing the patient as a specific phase during extrication.