Radiological Response: Myth vs. Reality

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Radiological ResponseMyth vs. Reality

• James Barnes
• Certified Health Physicist
• Chairperson, Homeland Security Committee, Health
  Physics Society
• Bobbie Walton
• Governors Office of Emergency Services
• State of California

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Health Physics SocietyHomeland Security Committee
http//hps.org/hsc/
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Radiation and the First Responder
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Visualizing Radiation
For best viewing, turn brightness and contrast on
the monitor to maximum values
http//faraday.physics.uiowa.edu/modern/7D30.60b.h
tm
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Average Exposures From Background Radiation
Average Exposure 0.360 rem/year
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Radiation Risk High Dose
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Radiation Risk Low Dose
In our society, about 20 of the population will
die of cancer. In 10,000 people, this means that
2,000 will die from cancer. If 10,000 people were
to be given 1 REM of radiation, statistics
suggest that 2,004 will die of cancer. This
suggests that the risk of excess cancer deaths is
increased by a factor of about 0.0004 per rem.
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Myth 1

• Radiation is so deadly that an attack using
  radioactive materials will kill thousands of
  people.

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The Goiania Experience (Sept, 1987)
Rozental, J. J. Radiological Accident in Goiana -
An Overview.
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The Goiania Experience

• A mothballed tele-therapy irradiator was present
  in an abandoned hospital building.
• Two men decided to mine the metal in the
  irradiator.
• The unit (containing 1400 curies of Cs-137) was
  dismantled. The source capsule was ruptured and
  the cesium was released.
• The glowing crystals (due the the extremely
  high radioactivity of the material) was taken
  home and shared with family and friends.
• There was widespread contamination of the
  neighborhood.

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Initial Response

• 112,000 people (10 of Goianias population)
  were surveyed at an Olympic Stadium.
• 250 were identified as contaminated
• 50 contaminated people were isolated in a camping
  area inside the Olympic Stadium for more detailed
  screening
• 20 people were hospitalized or transferred to
  special housing with medicaland nursing
  assistance
• 8 patients transferredto the Navy Hospital
  inRio de Janeiro
• Residential contamination surveywas initiated

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Early Consequences

• Widespread contamination of downtown Goiania
• 85 residences found to have significant
  contamination (41 of these were evacuated and a
  few were completely or partially demolished)
• People cross-contaminated houses 100 miles away
• Hot Spots at 3 scrap metal yards and one house

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Radiation Injuries and Uptakes

• 4 fatalities (2 men, 1 woman and 1 child)
• 28 patients had radiation induced skin
  injuries(they held/played with the source for
  extended periods)
• 50 people had internaldeposition (ingestion)

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The Goiania Experience (cont.)

• Significant psychological consequences amongst
  the population such as fear and depression.
• Discrimination against the victims and key
  products of local economy
• Psychomatic illnesses related to the accident
  stress.
• In first 60,000 monitored individuals
• 5,000 presented symptoms consistent with Acute
  Radiation Syndrome (i.e, rash, nausea, vomiting,
  diarrhea, weakness, etc.).
• Of these 5,000 persons, NONE were contaminated.

Salter (citing Peterson in Nuclear News 1988).
Helping to Prevent Terror Following A
Radiological Incident. HPS Annual Meeting 2001.
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Conclusions

• Long and expensive clean-up effort.
• Profound psychological effects such as fear and
  depression on large populations
• Isolation and boycott of goods by neighbors

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The Reality

• The primary effect of this dispersed
  radioactivity was psychological and sociological,
  not radiological.
• The true radiation effects were limited to those
  in the immediate vicinity of the source remnants
• They were exposed the longest
• They were closest to the source material
• They had little protection from the source

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The Radiation Terrorist
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The term "terrorism" means an activity that --
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The Nuclear Weapon
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What was your reaction to that last slide?
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Myth 2

• Nobody can survive the aftermath of a nuclear
  weapon. There is so much radiation that it will
  scorch the earth.

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Blast and Fire create high levels of destruction
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The process (nuclear fission), creates
radioactive materials and distributes them over a
wide area (fallout).
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The Reality

• Terrorists do not have thermonuclear weapons.
  They may have small yield nuclear (fission)
  weapons.
• The levels of an atomic weapons dispersion are
  NOT as severe as a hydrogen bombs, and CAN be
  survived.
• While such an attack would be devastating, it
  does not create an inescapable environment in the
  surrounding areas (i.e., survive the blast, and
  you have a good chance of escaping).
• With proper planning and preparation, people can
  escape from fallout affected areas without
  incurring serious exposures.

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Radiological Dispersal Device
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Myth 3

• Thousands will die if a dirty bomb is exploded
  in a major city.

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The Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD)
Radioactive Material
High Explosive
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Detectable Ground Contamination Can be Found
Miles Downwind
0.2 uCi/m2 Can be detected with thin window G-M
meter
2 uCi/m2 Can be detected with dose rate meter
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Despite Widespread Contamination, There Are
Relatively Small Exposures
1 REM EPA Shelter Area Less than 0.1
miles downwind
0.01 0.1 REM out to 2 miles Dose similar to a
chest x ray or 30 of natural background
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Los Angeles Example EPA PAG Would Recommend
Shelter/Evacuation of a Few Residential Blocks
Release 1.3 KCi CS-137 RDDwith 5 lbs HE 4-Day
Dose (Internal External)Evacuation/Relocation
PAG
HYPOTHETICAL
Color Level (Rem) Area (km2) Description
1 0.026 Consider evacuation. Shelter in place if no evacuation.
0.1 .42
0.01 3.84
Release location Burbank Police Department 34
10' 60"N, 118 18' 31"W 100 Aerosolized release
fraction Normal summertime west-northwest winds,
10-12 mph. Map size 6 x 6 km
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The Reality

• The Dirty Bomb is a weapon of mass disruption,
  not mass destruction.
• It is effective to the degree that it would
• Deny area access
• Induce psychological stress in a population
• Create economic disruption

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What Will You Need to Know?
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Know the Basics About Radiation

• Lack of trained personnel is the primary reason
  for loss of control of radiation / radioactive
  environments
• Responders FEAR radiation about as much as the
  public
• Training should be tailored to the mission /
  scope of the responder (Firefighter vs. EMT vs.
  Haz Matl Team)

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Where do you get this information?
http//training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is301.asp
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Where do you get this information?
Many local HPS Chapters will provide training
(general or specific) as a public service
(especially to small (poor) organizations).
http//hps.org/aboutthesociety/organization/chapte
rs.html
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Where do you get this information?
http//hps.org/hsc/documents/
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Know Your Response Mission Precisely

• Examples
• Fire fighters Set Perimeter Recover Victims
• Police Secure Perimeter / Scene Investigation
• FBI Scene Management
• Red Cross (and others) Mass Shelter and Feeding
• EMTs / Medical Victim Triage and Medical
  Services Management

Each Mission Requires a Different Radiation
Protection Approach
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Where do you get this information?
http//www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/nfacsd
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Where do you get this information?
http//terrorism.spjc.edu/ceu/blurb.asp?examid11
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Where do you get this information?
http//hps.org/publicinformation/asktheexperts.cfm
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Obtain and Maintain Instruments

• Simple works
• Match the Instrument to the Mission
• Dose Rate instrument for scene entry
• Contamination instruments for perimeters
• No one instrument does it all
• Cover a range of levels / doses
• Dose Rates 0.010 50,000 millirem
• Contamination 100 100,000 dpm
• Keep them working and calibrated

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Can I get instruments with no budget?
http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/equipment_hder.htm
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Know Your Radiation Exposure Limits for a
Terrorist Scene

• What is a safe dose level for a member of the
  public?
• What dose level should a responder not exceed?
• What dose level would make a rescue too dangerous
  to attempt?
• When would the dose levels apply?

These levels should be formally described. If
youre trying to figure this out AT THE SCENE,
its TOO LATE!
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Emergency Limits

• No dose Anecdotally reported to be the limit in
  several U.S. cities
• 100 mrem Limit listed for first responders in
  several emergency response guidance documents
  (some in draft stage)
• 5,000 mrem OSHA limit, (first responders to be
  engaged in occupational exposure in an emergency
  scenario)
• 10,000 mrem EPA guidance for property
  protection
• 25,000 mrem EPA guidance for lifesaving
  activities
• 50,000 mrem NCRP Report 138
• 75,000 mrem Old military limit for lifesaving
  activities
• No upper limit Draft ICRP Guidance for
  lifesaving activities

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Know Where to Get Expert Help

• Local Radiation Regulatory Organizations (City,
  County, State)
• Federal Organizations with Radiation Expertise
  (NRC, DOE, EPA)
• Local Professional Societies (Health Physics
  Society Chapters, Medical Physicists, Radiation
  Oncologists, etc.)

Do it NOW! Dont wait until the event happens!
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RAP Team Configuration

• Each region has a minimum of 3 teams
• RAP teams consist of trained employees from DOE
  and DOE contractors/facilities
• Each team consists of 9 members one Team Leader,
  one Public Information Officer, one Team Captain,
  one Senior Scientist, and five Health Physics
  Survey/Support personnel
• Additional personnel are available, such as
  industrial hygienists, transportation
  specialists, logistics support, etc.

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Standard Response Equipment

• Alpha Detection
• Beta Detection

• Gamma Detection
• Neutron Detection

• Gamma spectroscopy systems (NaI and HPGe)
• Air samplers (high and low volume)

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RAP RegionalContact Numbers

• Region 1, Brookhaven Area Office [phone]
• Region 2, Oak Ridge Operations Office (865)
  576-1005
• Region 3, Savannah River Operations Office (803)
  725-3333
• Region 4, NNSA Service Ctr. Albuquerque (505)
  845-4667
• Region 5, Chicago Operations Office (630)
  252-4800
• Region 6, Idaho Operations Office [phone]
• Region 7, Livermore Site Office [phone]
• Region 8, Richland Operations Office (509)
  373-3800
• DOE HQ [phone]

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Any Questions?