The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a new resource to support public health officials when communicating with the public during a radiation emergency. This tool, titled the “Radiation Hazard Scale,” is designed to better inform people on the level of health risk posed by a radiation emergency, and can incentivize effected residents to follow recommendations to reduce that risk.

The scale can communicate relative hazards to communities under emergency conditions, when the exact level of radiation exposure is not yet available. It has been pilot tested with diverse audiences, including public information officers; emergency management and public health officials; as well as members of the public. For more information and access to the tool, please visit this dedicated CDC webpage.