You have arrived on the scene of an assault involving a knife. Assessment of the unresponsive 21-year-old male reveals him to have sustained multiple lacerations to the arms and abdomen, with a section of his intestine protruding through a large laceration in the area around the umbilicus. He has lost a significant amount of blood. His airway is open and he is breathing poorly at a rate of 28

breaths per minute. His radial pulse is weak, and his skin is cool and pale. Which one of the following should the EMT do first?

A) Cover the intestine with saline-soaked gauze.
B) Immobilize to a long board.
C) Start positive pressure ventilation.
D) Check the blood pressure.

C