Transcript Radiation Exposure Devices Guidance for Responders

Radiation Exposure Devices
Guidance for Responders
Prepared by the Homeland Security Committee
RED Rev 08 AUG 2011
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Learning Objectives (1)
• Describe a radiation exposure device
(RED) and its potential hazards.
• Identify visual indicators to
recognize the presence of an RED.
• Identify initial actions applied by
emergency responders due to the
presence of an RED.
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Learning Objectives (2)
• Identify and list the types of radiation
survey meters utilized to initially detect the
presence of and measure the dose rates from
an RED.
• List actions taken by health care providers
to recognize that an individual has been
exposed to a large dose of radiation.
• Discuss medical actions to be taken when it
has been determined that an individual has
been exposed to a large dose of radiation.
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Lesson Plan
• Presentation on radiation exposure device—
background and response actions
• Presentation on meters used to detect the
presence of radioactive materials
• Review of job aid for responders
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Radiation Exposure Device
• Radiation Exposure Device (RED)
– A device intended to expose people to
significant doses of ionizing radiation without
their knowledge
– Constructed from partially or fully unshielded
radioactive material(s)
– Placed in public settings (subways, malls, etc.)
and usually hidden from sight
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Radiation Exposure Device (cont.)
• International effort to improve security
of sources of radioactive material
– Regulations on use and storage
– Programs to identify and collect orphan
sources
– Customs and Border Controls
• Some radioactive materials of concern
–
241Am, 252Cf, 60Co, 137Cs, 192Ir, 226Ra,
and
90Sr
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Radiation Exposure Device (cont.)
• Reference documents for
radioactive materials of concern:
– IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 5
– IAEA Dangerous Quantities of
Radioactive Material (D-Values)
– IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 6,
Combating Illicit Trafficking in
Nuclear and Other Radioactive
Material
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Radiation Exposure Device (cont.)
• Radioactive materials of interest are used in:
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Medical diagnosis (usually short half-life).
Cancer treatment (long half-life).
Industrial radiography (medium half-life).
Construction (medium half-life).
Sterilization of medical products (long half-life).
Gauges (long half-life).
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Brief History of RED Use
• 1993—Russia. A radioactive substance,
probably cesium-137 (and/or cobalt-60),
was planted near the director of a packing
company. 1 death.
• 1995—Russia. A cesium-137 source had
intentionally been placed in a door pocket
of a truck. The driver was exposed for 5
months. 1 death.
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Brief History of RED Use
• 2002—China. Iridium-192 used in an
attack on a business rival. The iridium192 was placed above the ceiling panels
in the hospital office of the rival. 1 death
and another 74 staff members of the
hospital had injuries.
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Some Radiation Basics
• Radioactive materials emit energy in the
form of radiation.
• Types of radiation released when a
radioactive material decays may include
alpha, beta and/or gamma, and neutrons.
• Radioactive materials may emit more than
one type of radiation.
• From an external exposure hazard, the most
penetrating types are gamma and neutron,
followed by beta and then alpha radiation.
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Some Radiation Basics (cont.)
• From an internal exposure hazard, the most
hazardous type is alpha, followed by beta and
then gamma radiation.
• If a radioactive source is encapsulated, it most
likely cannot be easily dispersed.
– Past history indicates that most REDs used were
encapsulated sources.
– Victims were exposed to ionizing radiation;
however, they were not contaminated with the
radioactive material.
– In cases where the encapsulation has been breached,
there has been contamination.
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Radiation Effects on Humans
• At lower levels of
penetrating gamma
radiation exposure,
the human body has
a tendency to repair
the damage.
– Exposure to
background radiation
would be an example
of chronic low levels.
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NCRP Report No. 160 (2009)
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Radiation Effects on Humans
• From external penetrating gamma
• At higher exposure levels, the human body
may not be able to repair the damage.
– Acute Exposures (whole body) Effects
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Blood cell changes occur around 50 rem (0.5 Sv)
Nausea and vomiting begin around 70 rem (0.7 Sv)
LD 50/60: 450 rem (4.5 Sv) without medical intervention
Highest dose in Chernobyl survivor was 870 rem (8.7 Sv)
• There are a number of variables that make people
more or less affected.
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Potential Sources of
Radioactive Material
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Black market
Stolen
Abandoned
Unsecured
Illegally obtained
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Minimizing the Threat
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Improve international control of materials.
Train/equip border and port security.
Locate and secure orphaned sources.
Seek non-radiological alternatives.
Continue research and development of
technologies to detect and monitor.
• Educate public and media.
• Educate physicians in recognizing acute
radiation syndrome and skin burns without
thermal or chemical cause.
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Response to an RED Emergency
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Response to an RED Emergency
• Most exposure discoveries have been in response
to medical surveillance or by accidentally
detecting the radiological signature.
• Medical professionals (local doctors) are often the
first to discover a radiological emergency when
they recognize symptoms indicating the possibility
of radiation exposure in their patients.
• RED response would not be a lights-and-siren
incident.
• Seek advice from radiation safety experts.
– Develop resources during preplanning phase.
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Initial Response—Medical
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Initial Response—Medical
• Once a victim’s medical symptoms are
determined to be due to exposure to radiation,
notify:
– Local public health authorities.
– Local, state, and/or national (CDC) epidemiology
staff.
– Radiation authority having jurisdiction.
– Law enforcement.
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Initial Response—Medical
• Once a victim’s medical symptoms are
determined to be due to exposure to
radiation:
– Survey patient for potential external and
internal contamination.
– Survey health care facility for contamination.
– Contact REAC/TS for consultation.
– Develop medical care plan.
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Incident Response Activities
• Medical staff will reconstruct exposure.
– Determine dose
– Determine patient impact from dose
• Law Enforcement
– Determine responsible party
– Conduct forensics
• Radiation Authorities
– Notified by local response agencies
– Subject matter experts
– Radiation surveys to locate
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Visual Clues for Responders
• Visual Indicators of radioactive sources
– Labels may be removed/defaced to hinder
identification.
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Visual Clues for Responders
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Emergency Responder Actions
• Response Actions
– Work with other disciplines to establish command and
control of response efforts.
– Emergency Operations Center notifies other disciplines,
including hospitals, public information, etc.
– If a source is found, using the Emergency Response
Guide 2008, initial isolation zone is 75 feet. DO NOT
TOUCH!
– Remember, this is a law-enforcement crime scene.
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Emergency Responder Actions
• Response Actions
– Consider potential for other hazards, such as
explosives . . . modify zone as appropriate.
– Modify zones under the direction of
radiological expertise and radiation authority.
– Request additional resources (hazardous
materials response teams, specialists).
– Support operations at the scene.
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Emergency Responder Actions
• Response Actions
– Acute radiation syndrome signs and symptoms:
• May not appear shortly after exposure.
• May take hours to days to develop.
• Victims may need evaluation if clinical course is
unusual or does not respond to medical treatment.
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End Section:
Presentation on Radiation
Exposure Device—Background
and Response Actions
Questions
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Disclaimer: The information contained herein was current as of 9-April-2012
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