Table 2.
Firefighters' Versus Emergency Medical Services Personnel's Knowledge Regarding Radiation Exposure Risks and Prevention
| All Respondents N = 433 | Firefighter vs EMS N = 433 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answered Correctly % (n) | Firefighter n = 278 | EMS n = 155 | Firefighter vs EMS | |
| Knowledge Question | Correct % (n) | Correct % (n) | p-valuea | |
| Radiation Protective Measures Questions | ||||
| The 3 recommended factors for reducing radiation exposure are time, distance, and shielding. (T) | 97.0 (420) | 97.8 (272) | 95.5 (148) | NS |
| The personal protective equipment worn by first responders is sufficient to block all types of radiation exposure. (F) | 95.6 (414) | 96.0 (267) | 94.8 (147) | NS |
| All types of radiation can only be stopped by dense materials, such as lead or concrete. (F) | 80.8 (350) | 83.8 (233) | 75.5 (117) | < .05 |
| Doubling the distance from a radiation source will reduce the exposure by half. (F) | 34.6 (150) | 32.4 (90) | 38.7 (60) | NS |
| First responders need to wear a self-contained breathing apparatus when responding to a radiation event because lungs are the most sensitive organs to radiation exposure. (F) | 30.3 (131) | 30.6 (85) | 29.7 (46) | NS |
| Radiation Exposure Effects Questions | ||||
| Exposure to high doses of radiation over a short period of time can result in acute radiation syndrome. (T) | 92.8 (402) | 93.5 (260) | 91.6 (142) | NS |
| The earliest symptoms of significant radiation exposure include nausea, vomiting, and headache. (T) | 91.2 (395) | 93.2 (259) | 87.7 (136) | NS |
| Inhalation & ingestion of alpha particles can be more dangerous than external contamination. (T) | 83.4 (361) | 84.5 (235) | 81.3 (126) | NS |
| Symptoms occur within minutes after the alpha and gamma radiation exposure. (F) | 58.0 (251) | 59.7 (166) | 54.8 (85) | NS |
| The biggest threat at the site of a radiological dispersal device detonation is from the explosion rather than the radioactive material. (T) | 27.7 (120) | 26.6 (74) | 29.7 (46) | NS |
| Decontamination Questions | ||||
| Decontamination of victims with radioactive contamination should take priority over life-saving measures. (F) | 56.6 (245) | 62.6 (174) | 45.8 (71) | = .001 |
| Removal of clothing eliminates most radiation contamination. (T) | 48.7 (211) | 51.1 (142) | 44.5 (69) | NS |
| All equipment used for radiation decontamination must be discarded after use. (F) | 39.5 (171) | 43.9 (122) | 31.6 (49) | = .01 |
| People who have been exposed to radiation must be decontaminated to prevent exposure to others. (F) | 13.2 (57) | 11.9 (33) | 15.5 (24) | NS |
| Full-body patient decontamination is needed after radiation contamination. (F) | 10.9 (47) | 9.7 (27) | 12.9 (20) | NS |
Note. (T) = True; (F) = False; EMS = Emergency medical services personnel; NS = Nonsignificant
a
Determined by the X2 test.