Table 4.
Firefighters' Versus Emergency Medical Services Personnel's Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Radiation Exposure Risks and Preparedness to Respond to a Dirty Bomb
| Attitude and Belief Statement | All Respondents N = 433 | Firefighter vs EMS N = 433 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly Agreed or Agreed % (n) | Firefighter n = 278 | EMS n = 155 | Firefighter vs EMS | |
| Strongly Agreed or Agreed % (n) | Strongly Agreed or Agreed % (n) | p-Valuea | ||
| I would be able to perform my work duties during a dirty bomb attack. | 82.0 (355) | 85.3 (237) | 76.1 (118) | <.05 |
| I know how to perform my work duties after a dirty bomb attack. | 64.7 (280) | 69.4 (193) | 56.1 (87) | <.01 |
| A naturally occurring radiological event is likely to occur in my city in the next 5 years. | 45.7 (198) | 43.2 (120) | 50.3 (78) | NS |
| I am concerned about radiation exposure from my work duties. | 43.6 (189) | 53.6 (149) | 25.8 (40) | <.001 |
| I would feel safe performing my normal duties during a dirty bomb attack. | 37.2 (161) | 39.6 (110) | 32.9 (51) | NS |
| A radiological terrorism attack is likely to occur in my city in the next 5 years. | 24.5 (106) | 23.7 (66) | 25.8 (40) | NS |
a
Determined by the X2 test.
Note. EMS = Emergency medical services personnel; NS = Nonsignificant.