Final answer:
Duty hours during an Emergency Mobilization Plan, like that of World War I ambulance drivers, could extend to forty-eight hours or more with minimal rest during extreme conditions. Shifts were typically twelve hours but could significantly expand to meet the demand of incoming wounded soldiers.
Step-by-step explanation:
During situations typically described as an "Emergency Mobilization Plan," hours of duty can be intense and may defy regular scheduling constraints. For instance, in the historical context of the Red Cross ambulance drivers during World War I, a standard shift might be twelve hours long, either from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. However, during extreme conditions such as following a significant battle, it was reported that ambulance drivers like Grace could work up to forty-eight hours consecutively, with minimal rest, often without compensation.
These stretched hours of operation were essential to cope with the influx of wounded soldiers. For example, as conveyed in Grace's diary, the medical personnel operated from 12 midnight to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 12 midnight, sometimes with over 400 wounded arriving simultaneously. This heavy load necessitated high-speed evacuations and surgeries, often with patients being treated mere hours after being wounded.