Digital Twins for Public Safety Training: HazMat Use Case

OMB Control #0693-0043
Expiration: 6/30/2025
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Participant ID
Input Participant ID

Pre Training Quiz
Which of the following gases is lighter than air?
Carbon Dioxide
Propane
Methane
Chlorine

At what height should you hold a gas meter when sampling for
gases heavier than air?
Above your head
At chest level
At waist level
Near the ground

What does it mean if the LEL sensor on an air sampling device
triggers but none of the other sensors show an alert?
There is a high concentration of oxygen
There is a potentially explosive atmosphere
The device is malfunctioning
The area is safe

How are alert levels typically set on an air gas meter?
Standard operating procedures
Device manufacturer settings
FEMA guidelines
User preference

What is the T-90 time in gas detection?
The time it takes for a gas detector to detect 90% of a gas concentration
The time it takes for a gas detector to detect 10% of a gas concentration
The time it takes for a gas detector to reset after an alert
The time it takes for a gas detector to calibrate

Which of the following gases is heavier than air?
Helium
Hydrogen Sulfide
Ammonia
Methane

What should you do if the oxygen (O2) sensor on an air sampling
device triggers an alert?
Ignore the alert
Evacuate the area immediately
Check other sensors for additional alerts
Increase ventilation in the area

Which of the following is a common alert level for oxygen deficiency
on an air gas meter?
21%
19.5%
23.5%
18%

When conducting air sampling, at what height should you hold a gas
meter for gases with similar buoyancy to air?
Above your head
At chest level
At waist level
Near the ground

What is an action level?

The concentration of a substance that triggers an action
The maximum allowable exposure limit for a substance
The time-weighted average concentration of a substance over an 8-hour workday
The lowest concentration of a substance detectable by instruments

What is typically the time for the short-term exposure limit?
8 hours
4 hours
1 hour
15 minutes

At what percent do most portable gas detectors alarm for LEL?
10%
25%
40%
50%

What happens to the oxygen level in air when the contaminant level
increases?
Oxygen level remains constant
Oxygen level decreases
Oxygen level increases
Oxygen level fluctuates unpredictably

What is the typical T-90 time for most gases when detected by
portable gas detectors?
10 seconds
30 seconds
60 seconds
90 seconds

Return to RA
Thank you. Please return this device to the research assistant. 

VRSQ
Please rate how the experience with the HazMat training system
made you feel in terms of:

General Discomfort

Fatigue

Eyestrain

Headache

Fullness of Head

Difficulty Focusing

Blurred Vision

Dizzy Eyes Closed

None

Slight

Moderate

Severe

Vertigo

None

Slight

Moderate

Severe

SPQ
Please choose the appropriate response based on your experience
with the HazMat training system

I devoted my whole attention to the training experience.

I concentrated on the training experience.

The training experience captured my senses.

I dedicated myself completely to the training experience.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree



Strongl
Agree



I was able to imagine the arrangement of the spaces
presented in the training experience very well.

I had a precise idea of the spatial surroundings presented in
the training experience.

I was able to make a good estimate of the size of the
presented space.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agree

Even now, I still have a concrete mental image of the spatial

environment.

I felt like I was actually there in the environment of the
presentation.

It was as though my true location had shifted into the
environment in the presentation.

I felt as though I was physically present in the environment
of the presentation.

It seemed as though I actually took part in the action of the
presentation.

Strongly
Disagree





I had the impression that I could be active in the
environment of the presentation.

I felt like I could move around among the objects in the
presentation.

The objects in the presentation gave me the feeling that I
could do things with them.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

It seemed to me that I could do whatever I wanted in the
environment of the presentation.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

I thought most about things having to do with the training
experience.

I thoroughly considered what the things in the presentation
had to do with one another.

The training experience presentation activated my thinking.

Strongly
Disagree

I thought about whether the training experience presentation

could be of use to me.




I concentrated on whether there were any inconsistencies in
the training experience.

I didn’t really pay attention to the existence of errors or
inconsistencies in the training experience.

I took a critical viewpoint of the training experience
presentation.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

It was not important for me whether the training experience
contained errors or contradictions.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

I am generally interested in the topic of the training
experience.

I have felt a strong affinity to the theme of the training
experience for a long time.

There was already a fondness in me for the topic of the
training experience before I was exposed to it.

I just love to think about the topic of the training experience.

Strongly
Disagree





When someone shows me a blueprint, I am able to imagine
the space easily.

It’s easy for me to negotiate a space in my mind without
actually being there.

When I read text, I can usually easily imagine the
arrangement of the objects described.

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

Agree

Strong
Agre

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither
Agree or
Disagree

When someone describes a space to me, it’s usually very
easy for me to imagine it clearly.

NTLX Questionnaire
How mentally demanding was the task? 
  Very Low
 0

10

Very High
20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

How physically demanding was the task? 
  Very Low
 0

10

Very High
20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

How hurried or rushed was the pace of the task?
  Very Low
 0

10

Very High
20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Agree

Strong
Agre

How successful were you in accomplishing what you were asked to
do?
Successful

Unsuccessful
 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

How hard did you have to work to accomplish your level of
performance?
Very Hard

Not Hard
 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Very Stressful

Not Stressful
 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Post Training Quiz
Which of the following gases is lighter than air?
Carbon Dioxide

80

90

100

Propane
Methane
Chlorine

At what height should you hold a gas meter when sampling for
gases heavier than air?
Above your head
At chest level
At waist level
Near the ground

What does it mean if the LEL sensor on an air sampling device
triggers but none of the other sensors show an alert?
There is a high concentration of oxygen
There is a potentially explosive atmosphere
The device is malfunctioning
The area is safe

How are alert levels typically set on an air gas meter?
Standard operating procedures
Device manufacturer settings
FEMA guidelines
User preference

What is the T-90 time in gas detection?
The time it takes for a gas detector to detect 90% of a gas concentration
The time it takes for a gas detector to detect 10% of a gas concentration
The time it takes for a gas detector to reset after an alert
The time it takes for a gas detector to calibrate

Which of the following gases is heavier than air?
Helium
Hydrogen Sulfide
Ammonia
Methane

What should you do if the oxygen (O2) sensor on an air sampling
device triggers an alert?
Ignore the alert
Evacuate the area immediately
Check other sensors for additional alerts
Increase ventilation in the area

Which of the following is a common alert level for oxygen deficiency
on an air gas meter?
21%
19.5%
23.5%

18%

When conducting air sampling, at what height should you hold a gas
meter for gases with similar buoyancy to air?
Above your head
At chest level
At waist level
Near the ground

What is an action level?
The concentration of a substance that triggers an action
The maximum allowable exposure limit for a substance
The time-weighted average concentration of a substance over an 8-hour workday
The lowest concentration of a substance detectable by instruments

What is typically the time for the short-term exposure limit?
8 hours
4 hours
1 hour
15 minutes

At what percent do most portable gas detectors alarm for LEL?
10%

25%
40%
50%

What happens to the oxygen level in air when the contaminant level
increases?
Oxygen level remains constant
Oxygen level decreases
Oxygen level increases
Oxygen level fluctuates unpredictably

What is the typical T-90 time for most gases when detected by
portable gas detectors?
10 seconds
30 seconds
60 seconds
90 seconds

Return to RA
Thank you. Please return this device to the research assistant. 

Practical Instructions
The research assistant instructs the users on the practical test. They
will follow the user around the PSITC and document any gases
detected and the alert thresholds for each location.

Practical Test
Gas Detected at Location 1
Helium (He)

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)

Ammonia (NH3)

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

Oxygen High (O2)

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

Oxygen Low (O2)

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Other

Propane (C3H8)

None

Chlorine (CL2)

Threshold for Gas 1
None
Alert
Alarm

Threshold for Gas 2
None
Alert
Alarm

Threshold for Gas 3
None
Alert
Alarm

Practice Test Location 2
Gas Detected at Location 2
Helium (He)

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)

Ammonia (NH3)

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

Oxygen High (O2)

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

Oxygen Low (O2)

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Other

Propane (C3H8)

None

Chlorine (CL2)

Threshold for Gas 1
None

Alert
Alarm

Threshold for Gas 2
None
Alert
Alarm

Threshold for Gas 3
None
Alert
Alarm

Practical Test Location 3
Gas Detected at Location 3
Helium (He)

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)

Ammonia (NH3)

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

Oxygen High (O2)

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

Oxygen Low (O2)

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Other

Propane (C3H8)

None

Chlorine (CI)

Threshold for Gas 1
None
Alert
Alarm

Threshold for Gas 2
None
Alert
Alarm

Threshold for Gas 3
None
Alert
Alarm

RIMMS Questionnaire
Please choose the appropriate response based on your experience
with the HazMat training system

Not
True

Slightly
True

Moderately
True

Mostly
True

Very
True

Not
True

Slightly
True

Moderately
True

Mostly
True

Very
True

The quality of the information provided helped to hold my
attention
The way the information is arranged and presented helped
keep my attention
The variety of provided information (video, hands-on, etc.)
helped keep my attention
It is clear to me that the contents of this training experience
are related to things I already know
The content and style of user instruction convey the
impression that learning how to conduct air monitoring is
worth it
The training concepts will be useful to me

As I worked with the training experience, I was confident
that I would be able to complete exercises with the air
monitor
After working on this experience, I was confident that I
would be able to pass a practical evaluation on it
The organization of the training helped me be confident in
learning this topic
I enjoyed working with these user instructions so much that
I was stimulated to keep on working
I really enjoyed working with these user instructions
It was a pleasure to work with such well-designed user
instructions

Open Feedback

What aspects of the training session did you find particularly helpful
for learning the task?

What aspects of the training session made the task more
challenging to learn?

Do you have any other thoughts or feedback about the training or
task used in this study?

Demographics
What is your sex?
Male
Female

What is your age?

How many years have you had in the fire service?

Thank you
Thank you for taking part in our study. You may return the device to
the research assistant. 

For any questions in regards to this survey, please contact psdcollab@nist.gov.
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