Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Response

Additional Resources

General Information on Radiation and Emergency Response

Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex (NRIA) to the Federal Interagency Operational Plan (FIOP). U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Be Informed - Radiation Threat. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Radiation Emergency Medical Management. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Radiation Basics. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Radiation Emergencies (general overview). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Types of Radiation Emergencies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about a Nuclear Blast. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Radiation Dictionary. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Dictionary of Radiation Terms. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Radiation Emergencies. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Library of Medicine (NLM), MedLine Plus.
Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- What You Can Do
Radiation Protection Basics. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Practical Radiation Technical Manual – Personal Protective Equipment. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Report No. 165: Responding to a Radiological or Nuclear Terrorism Incident: A Guide for Decision Makers ^*. National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP).
Commentary No. 19: Key Elements of Preparing Emergency Responders for Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism *. National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP).
Emergency Preparedness and Response. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
- How Can I Prepare for a Radiological Emergency?
Protective Action Guides (PAG) and Planning Guidance for Radiological Incidents (2017 PAG Manual). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Manual of Protective Action Guides and Protective Actions for Nuclear Incidents (EPA 400-R-92-001) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Implementation of Protective Actions for Radiological Incidents at Other than Nuclear Power Reactors. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Respiratory Protection Handbook. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDD) / Dirty Bombs

Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD). Ready.gov.
Fact Sheet on Dirty Bombs. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Includes the following subsections: Background, Impact of a Dirty Bomb, Sources of Nuclear Material, Control of Nuclear Material, Increased Security of Nuclear Material, Response to a Dirty Bomb, and Federal Role.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dirty Bombs. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Radiological Dispersal Devices: Assessing the Transnational Threat. National Defense University (NDU). Examines threat and differentiates the physical from the psychological impact on a targeted population.
Planning Guidance for Protection and Recovery Following Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) and Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Incidents. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Register Notice 45029-45048, 2008.

Radiation Exposure Devices (RED)

Radiological Exposure Devices (REDs). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Nuclear Blasts & Improvised Nuclear Devices (IND)

Health and Safety Planning Guide for Planners, Safety Officers and Supervisors for Protecting Responders Following a Nuclear Detonation. Interagency document.
Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation (May 2022). Interagency document, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Planning Guidance for Protection and Recovery Following Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) and Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Incidents. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Register Notice 45029-45048, 2008.
Are You Ready? – Nuclear Blast. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Nuclear Power Plants and Other Fixed-Site Nuclear Hazards

Nuclear Power Plants. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Training

Emergency Operations Training Academy. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
IS-3 Radiological Emergency Management. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Emergency Management Institute (EMI).
IS-301 Radiological Emergency Response. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Emergency Management Institute (EMI).
Key Elements of Preparing Emergency Responders for Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism ^*. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP).

Shelter-in-Place and Evacuation

Shelter-in-Place in a Radiation Emergency. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
How to Evacuate (during a radiation emergency). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Radiation Exposures & Dosimetry

Protecting people against radiation exposure in the event of a radiological attack. International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).
Radiation Doses in Perspective. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Radiation – Contamination vs. Exposure. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC). U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Population Monitoring and Radionuclide Decorporation Following a Radiological or Nuclear Incident. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), Report No. 166, 2010^*.
Population Monitoring in Radiation Emergencies: A Guide for State and Local Public Health Planners. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
RESRAD. Argonne National Laboratory. Computer model designed to estimate radiation doses and risks for residual radioactive materials.
HotSpot Health Physics Codes. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Field-portable set of software tools for evaluating incidents involving radioactive material.

Decontamination & Contamination Management

Procedures for Radiation Decontamination. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Inventory of Radiological Methodologies for Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Materials. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Report No. 166: Population Monitoring and Radionuclide Decorporation Following a Radiological or Nuclear Incident ^*. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).

Medical Countermeasures (MCM) and Medical Management

Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Acute Radiation Syndrome: A Fact Sheet for Clinicians. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Emergency Preparedness and Response, Potassium Iodide (KI). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Drug Information related to Radiation Exposure. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- Potassium Iodide (KI) (blocks the uptake of radioactive iodine into the thyroid)
- Calcium-DTPA and Zinc-DTPA (treatment of internal contamination with plutonium, americium or curium)
- Prussian Blue /Insoluble (Radiogardase) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Medical Management of Radiological Casualties Handbook, Fourth Edition. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI).
Report No. 161: Management of Persons Contaminated With Radionuclides: Handbook ^*. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).
Radiation Exposure and Contamination. Merck Manuals, Merck & Co. Inc., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.

Psychological Resilience During an Emergency Response

Tips for Supervisors of Disaster Responders: Helping Staff Manage Stress When Returning To Work. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
A Guide to Managing Stress in Crisis Response Professions. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Field Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major Disasters. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Disaster Responders-SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series Installment. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Psychological First Aid for First Responders. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Compassion Fatigue. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
A Post-Deployment Guide for Supervisors of Deployed Personnel. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Introduction to Disaster Behavioral Health Webinar. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Health, Safety, and Resilience for Disaster Responders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Surviving Field Stress for First Responders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Traumatic Incident Stress: Information for Response Workers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOSH).
Psychological First Aid Manual. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
SAMHSA's Efforts for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Website. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Emergency Communications

Wireless Emergency Alerts. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Recovery

Occupational Safety and Health Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Site Activities. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Actual Radiation Emergency Responses

FDA Response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Facility Incident. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Securing Radioactive Materials

Summary of Report on Protection against Nuclear Terrorism. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), (November 30, 2001). Press release on the state of security in various nuclear facilities. Indicates that in many cases there is a needfor improved protection and control.
Reducing the Threat of Nuclear Theft and Sabotage. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Recommends a range of specific steps to upgrade security at individual facilities and strengthen national and international standards.
Inadequate Control of World's Radioactive Sources. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Press Release, (September 2002). Discusses the availability of the radioactive materials needed to build a "dirty bomb" and the lack of control and monitoring programs for known radioactive sources.
Reducing the Nuclear Threat in the 21st Century. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), (October 29, 2001). Discusses possible nuclear threats and measures to prevent them.
State and Federal Action is Needed for Better Control of Orphan Sources. Health Physics Society (HPS), (April 2002). Provides recommendations regarding orphan sources-radioactive sources that have escaped institutional control, such as, sources that have been lost, stolen or abandoned.
Background Information on "State and Federal Action is Needed for Better Control of Orphan Sources." Health Physics Society (HPS), (April 2002).
Professional Society of Radiation Specialists Supports Radioactive Source Legislation. Health Physics Society (HPS). Presents the HPS position on proposed radioactive source legislation.
Guarding Nuclear Reactors and Materials from Terrorists and Thieves. Arms Control Association (ACA). Promotes more stringent physical protection standards for nuclear materials.

Miscellaneous

How to handle radioactive materials packages. U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
Reconciling Coordination Issues between the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. Discusses the relationship between the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) and the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan (FRERP) in the event of a radiological response.
Planning Guidance for Protection and Recovery Following Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) and Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Incidents. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Register Notice 45029-45048, 2008.
Guidance for Protective Actions Following a Radiological Terrorist Event. Health Physics Society (HPS). A position statement from the Health Physics Society, a nonprofit scientific professional organization whose mission is to promote the practice of radiation safety.
- Background Information on "Guidance for Protective Actions Following a Radiological Terrorist Event." Provides background information on the position statement listed above.
Report No. 165: Responding to a Radiological or Nuclear Terrorism Incident: A Guide for Decision Makers ^*. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).
William C Bell and Cham E Dallas. “Vulnerability of populations and the urban health care systems to nuclear weapon attack – examples from four American cities.” International Journal of Health Geographic’s 6, no. 5 (2007).

Radiation Emergency Resources by State

State	Link
Alabama	http://www.adph.org/radiation/Default.asp?id=6325
Alaska	http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Emergency/Pages/prepared/radiological.aspx
Arizona	https://dema.az.gov/emergency-management/preparedness/technological-hazards-branch
Arkansas	https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/radiation-control
California	https://www.caloes.ca.gov/Cal-OES-Divisions/Planning-Preparedness
Colorado	https://www.colorado.gov/cdphe
Connecticut	http://www.ct.gov/demhs/cwp/view.asp?a=1929&q=441512
Delaware	http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/orc.html
DC	https://hsema.dc.gov/
Florida	http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/radiation-control/index.html
Georgia	https://epd.georgia.gov/air-protection-branch/air-branch-programs/radiation-protection-programs
Guam	http://dphss.guam.gov/?q=content%2Fradiological-health-program
Hawaii	http://health.hawaii.gov/irhb/radiation/
Idaho	http://www.deq.idaho.gov/inl-oversight/emergency-preparedness.aspx
Illinois	https://www.illinois.gov/iema/NRS/pages/default.aspx
Indiana	http://www.in.gov/dhs/3523.htm
Iowa	https://www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/programs/radio_emerg_prep.html
Kansas	http://www.kdheks.gov/radiation/rad_emerg_preparedness.htm
Kentucky	https://kyem.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Louisiana	https://deq.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=emergency-radiological-services-division
Maine	https://www.maine.gov/MEMA/techhazards/index.shtml
Maryland	https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Air/RadiologicalHealth/Pages/index.aspx
Massachusetts	https://www.mass.gov/service-details/emergency-preparedness-planning-section-of-the-radiation-control-program
Michigan	https://www.michigan.gov/egle/0,9429,7-135-3312_4120_4243---,00.html
Minnesota	https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/radiological-emergency-preparedness/Pages/default.aspx
Mississippi	https://www.msema.org/news/replacement-snap-for-current-recipients-in-federally-declared-disaster-areas/
Missouri	https://sema.dps.mo.gov/programs/radiological_emergency_preparedness.php
Montana	https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/phep/index
Nebraska	https://nema.nebraska.gov/tech-hazard/rep-radiological-emergency-preparedness
Nevada	http://dpbh.nv.gov/Reg/Radiation-Incidents/Radiation-Incidents_-_Home/
New Hampshire	https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/radiological/nhep-radevents.htm
New Jersey	https://www.state.nj.us/dep/rpp/index.htm
New Mexico	https://www.env.nm.gov/rcb/
New York	http://www.dhses.ny.gov/oem/radiological/index.cfm
North Carolina	http://www.ncradiation.net/
North Dakota	https://deq.nd.gov/WM/Radiation/
Ohio	https://ema.ohio.gov/RadiologicalBranch.aspx
Oklahoma	https://www.deq.ok.gov/divisions/lpd/
Oregon	https://www.oregon.gov/OEM/Pages/default.aspx
Pennsylvania	https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/RadiationProtection/Pages/default.aspx
Puerto Rico	no information
Rhode Island	http://www.riema.ri.gov/resources/emergencymanager/prepare/radiological/index.php
South Carolina	https://scdhec.gov/disaster-preparedness/radiation-nuclear-safety
South Dakota	https://dps.sd.gov/emergency-services/emergency-management
Tennessee	https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/rh-radiological-health1.html
Texas	https://tdem.texas.gov/
Utah	https://deq.utah.gov/division-waste-management-radiation-control
Vermont	https://vem.vermont.gov/programs/rerp
Virginia	https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/radiological-health/radiological-health/emergency-preparedness/
Washington	https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Radiation/RadiologicalEmergencyPreparedness
West Virginia	http://dhsem.wv.gov/REP%20Program/Pages/REP-Plans-and-Procedures.aspx
Wisconsin	https://dma.wi.gov/DMA/wem/preparedness/radiological-preparedness
Wyoming	https://hls.wyo.gov

Covers nuclear power plant(s) only.

^{* Document or other resource available for a fee through the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), which was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964 to "collect, analyze, develop and disseminate in the public interest information and recommendations about protection against radiation."}