FEMA IS 303: Radiological Accident Assessment Concepts Answers

1. True or False: Tap water used for drinking is considered in the DIL calculations.

A. True
B. False

2. What is the EPA intermediate-phase relocation PAG for the first year?

A. 0.5 rem TEDE
B. 1 rem TEDE
C. 2 rem TEDE
D. 5 rem TEDE

3. During a release, which of the field measurements described below indicates an appropriate location to take an air sample to be used for dose projections?

A. Open-window readings that significantly exceed closed-window readings at ground level; open-window readings are not significantly different than closed-window at 1 meter
B. Open-window readings that significantly exceed closed-window readings at 1 meter
C. Open window and closed window readings are not necessary for determining an appropriate location for an air sample
D. The absence of a significant difference between open and closed-window readings at 1 meter and ground level

4. Food samples analyzed after a release have been determined to have the following concentrations:

Sr-90                             150 Bq/kg
I-131                           120 Bq/kg
Cs-134 + Cs-137       1150 Bq/kg

Is the food permitted to be released into commerce?

A. Yes
B. No

5. A volunteer firefighter is functioning as an emergency worker for the county during a reactor accident. The firefighter’s full-time job is as a nuclear medicine technologist at a local hospital, and her annual occupational exposure-to-date is 2.5 rem. What additional dose may the firefighter receive as an emergency worker during the early phase?

A. No additional dose
B. An additional 2.5 rem
C. The emergency worker dose limit minus 2.5 rem
D. The full emergency worker dose limit without any subtraction

6. What dosage (mg) of KI is recommended for a 15 year old that weighs more than 70 kg?

A. 16 mg
B. 65 mg
C. 130 mg
D. 260 mg

7. At what projected CDE thyroid dose is potassium iodide recommended for an adult over the age of 40?

A. ≥5 rem
B. ≥10 rem
C. ≥100 rem
D. ≥500 rem

8. What is the purpose of a hot line?

A. To identify samples and data collection according to their date, time, and place of collection
B. To separate contaminated and noncontaminated areas
C. To determine which groups of emergency workers are capable of collecting samples
D. To measure the distance between one collection location to another

9. All of the following are likely to happen to the fuel cladding 15–45 minutes after the core is uncovered EXCEPT:

A. Local fuel melting
B. Zircaloy-water reaction
C. Direct Containment Heating (DCH)
D. Gap release

10. True or False: Under special circumstances, state and local officials may permit the usage of food with concentrations exceeding the DILs.

A. True
B. False

11. Given the following data, determine the airborne concentration of the contaminant in microCi/cm3:

Background count: 225 cpm
Gross count: 125,768 cpm
Sample time: 5 min
Flow rate: 2.35 cfm
Detector efficiency: 2.5%
Collector efficiency: 99.9%

A. 6.8 x 10⁻³ microCi/cm³
B. 15.09 microCi/cm³
C. 6.8 x 10⁻¹¹ microCi/cm³
D. 6.8 x 10⁻⁶ microCi/cm³

12. In equations used to calculate concentration of radioactive material, mu (µ) represents which of the following?

A. Release rate
B. Concentration
C. Wind speed at ground level
D. Stability class

13. Ingestion of a radionuclide yielded a committed dose equivalent of 20 rem to the red bone marrow. Calculate the CEDE.

A. 2.4 rem CEDE
B. 24 rem CEDE
C. .6 rem CEDE
D. 6 rem CEDE

14. An adult (age 30) is projected to receive a CDE thyroid dose of 10 rem. What dosage of KI is recommended?

A. 65 mg
B. 130 mg
C. 260 mg
D. KI is not recommended for a CDE thyroid dose of 10 rem

15. Which of the following is NOT one of the possible exposure pathways for radiation exposure from a nuclear incident?

A. Desorption
B. Deposited Materials
C. Resuspended Materials
D. Plume Shine

16. Convert 12.6 mph to m/sec.

A. 28.19 m/sec
B. 5.63 m/sec
C. 337.89 m/sec
D. 41.34 m/sec

17. The first priority of protective actions is to:

A. Prevent deterministic health effects
B. Prevent stochastic health effects
C. Ensure that emergency workers receive a dose As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)
D. Relocate the public to a safe location

18. When doing field analysis using a pancake probe, the following media are acceptable for radioiodine sampling in the presence of noble gases EXCEPT:

A. Silver silica gel
B. Silver alumina
C. TEDE-impregnated charcoal
D. Silver zeolite

19. Which of the following is NOT a potential health effect of radiation?

A. Genetic disorders
B. Pneumonia
C. Brain damage to the unborn
D. Thyroid disorders and cancers

20. What dosage (mg) of KI is recommended for children over 3 through 12 years old?

A. 16 mg
B. 65 mg
C. 130 mg
D. KI is not recommended for children under the age of 12

21. A package label specifies the activity of the contents as 0.074 TBq. What is the activity in millicuries?

A. 2 mCi
B. 200 mCi
C. 2000 mCi
D. 20000 mCi

22. It is morning, with moderate incoming solar radiation. The wind speed is 7 m/sec. According to the EPA’s Workbook of Atmospheric Dispersion Estimates, what is the atmospheric stability class?

A. Stability Class A
B. Stability Class B
C. Stability Class C
D. Stability Class D

23. Potassium iodide is most effective as a thyroid blocking agent when it is administered within what time frame?

A. 1 day prior to exposure
B. 3 to 4 hours prior to exposure
C. 1 to 2 hours prior to exposure
D. 6 hours after exposure

24. A utility worker lives in a slightly contaminated area outside the restricted zone surrounding an accident site. His projected first-year dose from living in this area is 250 mrem. This worker must enter the restricted zone to perform vital maintenance functions. What further annual dose may he accumulate?

A. No additional dose
B. The occupational worker dose limit minus 250 mrem
C. The occupational worker dose limit minus 250 mrem and any dose received during the early phase
D. The full occupational worker dose limit without any subtraction

25. Which of the following is NOT a type of containment failure?

A. Overpressurization
B. Cladding
C. Direct Containment Heating (DCH)
D. Bypass

26. The projected CDE to the thyroids of the public at a downwind location is 4 rem. Has the EPA early-phase PAG been exceeded?

A. Yes
B. No

27. Convert 5.13 x 10⁻³ Sv/Bq to mrem/pCi.

A. 1.39 x 10⁻⁴ mrem/pCi
B. 1.39 x 10⁻⁶ mrem/pCi
C. 19 mrem/pCi
D. 1.9 mrem/pCi

28. Which of the following is NOT an SI unit of measure?

A. Gray (Gy)
B. Becquerel (Bq)
C. Sievert (Sv)
D. Curie (Ci)

29. Of the following indicators, which one confirms core damage?

A. Radiation levels
B. Core temperature
C. Water level
D. Safety function status

30. What is the time period considered for contaminated food consumption in the DIL calculation?

A. 3 months
B. 6 months, except for I-131 and Ru-103
C. 9 months
D. 1 year, except for I-131 and Ru-103

31. According to NUREG-0654/FEMA REP-1, rev. 1, how often are phone numbers required to be updated in procedures for personnel notification?

A. Monthly
B. Quarterly
C. Semi-annually
D. Annually

32. A dose of 5 rem has been calculated at 5 km from a release point. The atmospheric stability class is Class F. Using the Reduction Factor Table, determine how far someone would have to be from the release to receive 1 rem.

A. 1 km
B. 3.5 km
C. 5 km
D. 17.5 km