A Box survey aims to determine what aspect of a contaminated area?

• A. General dimensions of contamination
• B. The number of personnel
• C. Weather conditions
• D. Access routes

Answer: (A)

Mapping the extent of contamination is the goal here. A Box survey is used to quickly estimate the general footprint of contamination by outlining its boundary and measuring its dimensions (length and width). This helps responders decide how large an area needs sampling, where to establish safe zones, and how to plan decontamination and resource allocation. Other factors like the number of personnel, weather conditions, or access routes can affect operations, but they aren’t the primary purpose of this survey method—the focus is on defining how big the contaminated area is.