Radiation Preparedness
Although the likelihood of a radiation emergency may be lower compared to other hazards, the consequences are extreme. Radiation emergencies negatively impact the health of individuals and severely threaten national security. To effectively mitigate the situation, radiation emergencies require unique resources, training, and communication beyond an all-hazards disaster response. Through their preparedness activities, local health departments can build basic capabilities to respond to radiation emergencies.
Results from the 2022 Preparedness Profile, a nationally representative survey to gather key insights and information about preparedness trends and emerging issues at LHDs, found that nearly half (48%) of local health departments did not conduct any preparedness or response activities related to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) events in the past year. Additionally:
- 20% of LHD are not concerned about accidental radiation releases.
- 33% of LHD are not prepared or feel they have no role for accidental radiation releases.
- 38% of LHDs conducted planning related to CBRN events; 14% of LHDs conducted drills/exercises; 3% of LHDs responded to actual emergency events.
NACCHO is committed to enhancing readiness for radiation emergencies to mitigate potentially disastrous public health outcomes.
Latest Blogs
NACCHO has identified evidence-based tools and resources to support effective radiation emergency preparedness and response efforts at local health departments.
| Title | Description | Resource Type |
|---|---|---|
| Implementing Public Health Preparedness Capabilities | This toolkit provides information for professionals on implementing public health preparedness capabilities during radiation emergencies. | Toolkit |
| A Guide to Operating Public Shelters in a Radiation Emergency | This guide assists with planning and response efforts related to shelter operations in a radiation emergency. | Guidance |
| Guidelines for Handling Decedents Contaminated with Radioactive Materials | This guidance document assists with planning and response efforts related to mortuary response operations in a radiation emergency. | Guidance |
| Community Reception Center Electronic Data Collection Tool (CRC eTool) | The CRC eTool is designed to collect, analyze, visualize, and securely exchange population monitoring data, including demographics, radiation contamination measurements, radiation exposure assessment, and health outcomes. | Toolkit |
| Population Monitoring in Radiation Emergencies: A Guide for State and Local Public Health Planners | This planning guide presents an introduction to population monitoring in radiation emergencies for public health officials and emergency preparedness planners at the state, tribal, and local levels. | Guidance |
| Planning for Community Reception Centers | This toolkit provides information on transforming Point of Dispensing plans into community reception center plans for radiation emergencies. | Toolkit |
| Data Collection, Screening, and Simulation Tools (CRC SimPLER) | CRC SimPLER helps radiation emergency planners understand their current capacity, potential bottlenecks, and additional resource needs when planning for population monitoring during response to a radiation emergency. | Toolkit |
| Radiation Response Briefing Manual: A Guide for Key Leaders and Public Health Decision Makers | This briefing manual is intended to serve as a just-in-time training for key decision makers. | Guidance |
| Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Manual | This manual serves as the principal source of policy and guidance for the FEMA REP Program. | Guidance |
| Radiation Regulations and Laws | This webpage provides EPA guidance documents and information on related radiation, laws and regulations. | Guidance |
| Title | Description | Resource Type |
|---|---|---|
| Radiation Basics Made Simple | Radiation Basics Made Simple is a training module that introduces participants to the fundamentals of radiation and radioactivity. | Toolkit |
| Radiation Emergency Training for Poison Center and Public Health Professionals | This training serves as an informational and educational resource about radiation exposure and illness for poison control and public health staff. | Modules |
| CRC Operations in Radiation Emergencies | This 13-minute training video provides an overview of community reception center (CRC) operations for public health personnel and response partners. | Video |
| Community Reception Center Electronic Data Collection Tool (CRC eTool) | CRC eTool Just-in Time Training that provides an introduction and overview of Community Reception Centers. | Toolkit |
| Use of Environmental Monitoring Data to Support Public Health Decision Making in Radiation Emergencies | This training video focuses on using environmental monitoring data to support public health decision making in radiation emergencies. | Video |
| What is Radiation Epidemiology | This video provides training to define radiation epidemiology. | Video |
| Radiation Epidemiology for Public Health Decision Making | This series of training modules aims to increase knowledge and change competency of radiation-related public health practices and strategies. | Modules |
| Medical Countermeasures for Radiation Exposure and Contamination | This training module aids in better understanding of available medical countermeasures (treatments) for radiation exposure and contamination. | Modules |
| Psychological First Aid in Radiation Disasters | This training program increases awareness of mental health consequences of a radiological or nuclear emergency. | Video |
| Tennessee’s Approach to Radiological Emergency Response | This 90-minute webinar provides a basic understanding of radiation preparedness and how public health and partner agencies work together in Tennessee to prepare for and respond to radiation emergencies. | Webinar |
| Animal Decontamination in Radiation Incidents | This 90-minute webinar provides a basic understanding of animal decontamination in radiation incidents. | Webinar |
| Risk Communication for Public Health Before, During, and After Radiation Incidents | This 60-minute webinar provides a basic understanding of the crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) principles and ways to incorporate CERC Principles in Radiological or Nuclear incidents. | Webinar |
| Screening People for External Contamination: How to Use Hand-held Radiation Survey Equipment | This skills training video demonstrates how to screen people for external contamination using a hand-held Geiger-Mueller detector | Video |
| Title | Description | Resource Type |
|---|---|---|
| This is a TEST: Community Reception Center (CRC) | This toolkit supports the This is a TEST CRC Edition training and exercise simulation tool for community reception centers. | Toolkit |
| Radiological Exercise Program After Action Reports | These final After-Action Reports (AARs) are developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency following emergency exercises with communities with nuclear power plants and can be used for training purposes. | Toolkit |
| Radiation Emergency Surge Annex Tabletop Exercise Template | This toolkit can be used by healthcare coalitions (HCCs) to enhance radiation readiness. | Guidance |
| Title | Description | Resource Type |
|---|---|---|
| Radiation Hazard Scale | This tool provides a frame of reference for relative hazards of radiation and communication during emergencies. | Guidance |
| Radiation Risk Communication for Public Health | This training highlights basic radiation concepts, and several communication resources and lessons learned. | Training Video |
| Radiation Infographics | These 13 CDC infographics describe complex radiation-related concepts in plain language using illustrations to clarify and emphasize key points. | Guidance |
| Journalists: Radiation Communication Toolkit | This toolkit provides resources to help journalists understand how radiation affects lives every day and especially during a radiation emergency. | Toolkit |
| Myths of Radiation: Communicating in a Radiation Emergency | This training introduces participants to some common myths of radiation and identifies communications strategies to combat these and other myths. | Training Video |
| Title | Description | Resource Type |
|---|---|---|
| National Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR) | The National Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR) is a coalition of public health, healthcare, and emergency management organizations. | Webpage |
| Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN) | RITN is a national network of medical centers with expertise in managing bone marrow failure. | Webpage |
| EPA-Radiation Protection | This EPA webpage shares environmental standards and provides technical expertise to protect human health and the environment from the use of radioactive materials. | Webpage |
| FEMA-Radiological Emergency Preparedness | This FEMA webpage provides information resources related to efforts to provide state, local and tribal governments with relevant and executable radiological emergency preparedness planning, training, and exercise guidance. | Webpage |
| Success Stories in Radiation Emergency Preparedness | These videos highlight some of the ways state and local partners have used CDC training, tools, and other resources | Webpage |
| Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. (CRCPD) | The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. (CRCPD) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, non-governmental, professional organization whose primary membership is comprised of radiation professionals in state and local government that regulate the use of radiation sources. | Webpage |
| Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) | The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) provides emergency response and subject matter expertise on the medical management of radiation incidents | Webpage |
To see our policies around radiation and other preparedness topics, please visit our policy statement page here.