NACCHO announced on March 19 that it has selected sites for a nationwide Radiation Preparedness Project aimed at assessing the readiness of local public health officials and emergency response professionals for a radiological incident. In a series of exercises across the country, NACCHO will examine how local officials are able to address complex issues such as family reunification, public communications, the allocation of scarce resources, and volunteer management in the event of a radiological incident.
The City of El Paso has been designated to conduct the first in a series of tests which will eventually be extended out to Indianapolis, IN; New Orleans, LA; and Salt Lake City, UT. Sites were chosen on the basis of their ability to help NACCHO asses different variables that may prove difficult for local officials to account for in the event of a radiological incident. El Paso, for instance was chosen based on its cultural diversity, proximity to Mexico and New Mexico, and its strong local ties to the military. Local media outlets across the U.S. have featured stories about NACCHOs Radiation Preparedness Project. View the news stories below to learn more about local reactions to this important work:
El Paso hosts first radiation emergency exercise, and El Paso selected as one of six sites nationwide to participate in radiological incident preparedness exercise; El Paso, Tx.
Escogen entrenar a El Paso para enfrentar incidentes de radioactividad, and Evalúan respuestas en escenarios simulados de radioactividad; El Diario, El Paso, Tx.
