According to the 2023-2026 National Health Security Strategy’s (NHSS) the risk from intentional chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents has increased due to continued capability expansion, modernization, low yield weapons development, eroding international norms, information proliferation, emerging drone concerns, and increasing threat actor awareness. This means that radiation preparedness is no longer just a requirement for jurisdictions neighboring nuclear facilities, it’s a necessity for everyone.
To support local jurisdictions with radiation preparedness efforts, NACCHO, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other state and local partners, conducted a full-day workshop during the 2024 Preparedness Summit.
The workshop welcomed 70 participants from 32 states and 38 local communities, representing a variety of backgrounds and expertise. Half of participants were from communities with nuclear power plants. Participants included state and local health preparedness planners, emergency managers, environmental safety specialists, public health communication officers, public health nurses, medical countermeasures coordinators, and Medical Reserve Corps unit leaders.
For those who may be new to radiological preparedness, the workshop introduced key radiation concepts and planning considerations for community reception centers (CRCs). It also shared resources that are currently used by emergency and public health planners to bridge knowledge gaps and improve existing radiation planning and exercising programs.
The workshop also introduced and trained public health preparedness planners to facilitate a new CDC tool called Training and Exercise Simulation Tool (TEST). TEST is a training and exercise simulation tool that helps participants understand specific roles and responsibilities at a CRC during a radiation emergency. The game uses a collaborative design to bridge the gap between discussion and operational exercises by using narrative-based problems to foster teamwork, resource management, and understanding of specific roles and responsibilities during a radiation emergency.
Prior to this workshop, participants indicated that they had some level of knowledge and experience with planning, exercising, and setting up CRCs. About 73% of participants agreed that their knowledge of planning, exercising, and setting up CRC has increased as a result of the workshop and that they have a better understanding of their roles. One participant noted, “It is really a valuable experience bringing so many people together with such high-quality training.”
Information gained and evaluation findings from this workshop will inform future planning, activities, and resource sharing by NACCHO’s radiological preparedness program.
Resources for Local Radiation Planning and Exercising:
