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. 2022 Oct 10:17:e237.
doi: 10.1017/dmp.2022.194.

Time Motion Studies for Conduct of Population Monitoring During Functional Radiological Exercises at Community Reception Centers

Lauren Finklea  1 , Adela Salame-Alfie  1 , Armin Ansari  1
Affiliations

Time Motion Studies for Conduct of Population Monitoring During Functional Radiological Exercises at Community Reception Centers

Lauren Finklea et al. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. .

Abstract

Objective: The objectives of this study were to: validate current capacity estimates for radiological emergency response by collecting time motion observations from stations that would be used for screening and decontaminating populations, and use collected times to evaluate potential impact on current throughput calculations.

Methods: Time observations were collected at 11 functional radiation exercises across the country and aggregated for analysis for population monitoring activities, including contamination screening, decontamination, and registration. Collected times were compared to published estimates in current planning guidance, and evaluated to determine the suitability of using exercise observations to estimate throughput capacity.

Results: 2532-time observations were collected from 11 functional exercises. Of those, 2380 were validated and used for analysis. Contamination screening times varied greatly from current guidance, ranging from 19% below to 267% above existing estimates. Measurements indicate that capacity to perform contamination screening is significantly overestimated when using current estimates of service times and calculations when compared to observed aggregate service times.

Conclusion: Aggregate service time data presented in this study can be used to yield a more realistic estimate of capacity to respond to a radiation event.

Keywords: decontamination; population monitoring; radiation emergency; time and motion study.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow diagram of population processing at community reception center exercises.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Percent distribution of service times for contamination screening stations, portal monitor n = 1059, partial handheld n = 221, and full handheld n = 344.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Percent distribution of service times for decontamination stations, partial decontamination n = 39, full decontamination n = 90.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Percent distribution of registration service times, electronic data collection n = 527, paper form collection n = 101.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Population monitoring in radiation emergencies, A guide for state and local health planners. Updated April 2014. Accessed July 7, 2021. https://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/pdf/population-monitoring-guide.pdf
    1. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Program manual radiological emergency preparedness. FEMA p-1028/ December 2019. Updated 2019. Accessed July 7, 2021. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/fema_rep-program_manual...
    1. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Contamination monitoring standard for a portal monitor used for radiological emergency response, FEMA-REP-21. Updated 1995. Accessed July 7, 2021. https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=785007
    1. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Contamination monitoring guidance for portable instruments used for radiological emergency response to nuclear power plant accidents, FEMA-REP-22. Updated 2002. Accessed July 7, 2021. https://remm.hhs.gov/FEMA-REP-21.pdf
    1. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Statements of consideration for the contamination monitoring standard for a portal monitor used for radiological emergency response. March 1995.

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