Radiation Preparedness

Staff Contacts

Radiation and nuclear preparedness continues to be a challenge for local health departments (LHDs) because of the lack of evidence-based data and conflicting opinions on how best to prepare for such emergencies. The aim of NACCHO's radiological and nuclear preparedness initiatives is to improve the capacity and capability of LHDs by to prepare for, respond to, and recover from radiation or nuclear disasters by sharing resources and tools, disseminating promising practices, and providing education and training.

Japan Earthquake and Radiation Incident

Information for Environmental and Preparedness Public Health Professionals

In response to the devastating earthquake and radiation incident in Japan, NACCHO has organized environmental and preparedness-related tools and resources for the public health professional seeking information in relation to the radiation incident. More »

Special Report: The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

The Status of State-level Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) conducted a Web-based survey and distributed it to state epidemiologists nationwide to reassess the national status related to radiation public health emergency preparedness capabilities at the state and local health department levels. The report features results of this assessment. More »

Special Report

Report on Workshop on Operating Public Shelters during a Radiation Emergency

In February 2010, NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened the Workshop on Operating Public Shelters during a Radiation Emergency. The workshop brought together stakeholders to discuss decontamination, registration and tracking, and risk communication as they apply to operating public shelters during a radiation emergency. Participants included representatives from local health departments (LHDs), state health departments, the American Red Cross, the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and CDC. The workshop findings are recorded in the report, Report on the National Association of County and City Health Officials/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Workshop on Operating Public Shelters during a Radiation Emergency. More »

»	National Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR)
	The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is pleased to continue its collaboration with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), The CDC Radiation Studies Branch, and others to support the efforts of the National Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR). NARR is a coalition of organizations committed to building radiation and nuclear emergency preparedness and response capacity and capabilities. To read more about the creation and direction of NARR, see the radiation alliance steering committee final report. NACCHO, through its involvement with NARR, will develop a radiation and nuclear preparedness planning template for local health departments, which will be available on this website. NACCHO will also share resources and tools and identify and disseminate promising practices to LHDs.