Radiation Emergencies Resource Guide
- CDC Radiation Emergencies
Extensive links to information for first responders, hospitals and the public in various formats including web casts, full text documents and reference materials. - American College of Radiology: Radiation Disasters: Preparedness and Response for Radiology
"Information on preparing for a radiation emergency, handling contaminated persons, dose assessment, radiation health effects, and accessing emergency assistance. Links are also provided on medical responses to bioterrorism." - Oak Ridge Associated Universities Radiation Emergency Center/ Training Site
Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site provides support to the U.S. Department of Energy, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the medical management of radiation accidents. Links to training and other resources. - Radiation Emergencies - EPA
Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Preparedness teams and program links. - Radiation Exposure - MedlinePlus.gov
Information resources for the general public plus links to literature searches in MEDLINE.
- The Virginia Disaster Readiness Center
The Virginia Disaster Readiness Center is a program of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for 21st Century Medical Challenges and includes a disaster medicine branch, an educational branch, and a research branch. - Radiological & Nuclear Threats - Virginia Department of Health
Fact sheets and links for the public and healthcare professionals & Emergency Responders. - Radiological Health Program - Virginia Department of Health
Includes links to emergency preparedness and emergency response information, and legislation. - Nuclear and Radiological Weapons - Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Virginia Terrorism Preparedness
Q & A format addressing topics relating to a nuclear or radiological weapons event. - Virginia Emergency Alert Radio Stations
professional associations and other agencies
- American Association of Physicists in Medicine
- American College of Radiology
- American Nuclear Society
- Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors
- FEMA - Nuclear Hazards
- Health Physics Society
- IAEA - Nuclear Security
- National Nuclear Security Administration
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- 'Safe' Levels May be Raised for Dirty Bomb Attacks
A report from NPR, July 27, 2004. - Guide: The Reality of a Dirty Bomb
Dirty Bomb Attack Scenarios outlined before Congress March 6, 2002 from MSNBC. - Medical Response to Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism : [Webcast], 2004-02-01
Health effects, decontamination and treatment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Approximately 1 hour)
selected full-text documents and journal articles
- Medical Management of the Acute Radiation Syndrome: Recommendations of the Strategic National Stockpile Radiation Working Group VCU
Annals of Internal Medicine 2004:140: 1037-1051 - Medical response to radiation incidents and radionuclear threats
BMJ 2004;328:568-572 (6 March) - Current concepts: major radiation exposure: what to expect and how to respond.
N Engl J Med 2002;346: 1554-61 - Hospital Triage in the First 24 Hours after a Nuclear or Radiological Disaster PDF
from the the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site - Drug Preparedness and Response - CDER
Documentation on the use of calcium-DTPA, zinc-DTPA, Potassium Iodide Tablets and other information. - Medical Management of Radiological Casualties Handbook, Second Edition, 2003.
Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Military Medical Operations, Bethesda, MD. 166 pages. - Disaster Preparedness for Radiology Professionals: Response to Radiological Terrorism
American College of Radiology, February 14, 2003 'Primer' summarizes current information on preparing for a radiation emergency, handling contaminated persons, dose assessment and radiation exposure health effects. It also includes information on radiological findings related to agents of biological and chemical terrorism. - Dirty Bombs: The Threat Revisited
Defense Horizons January 2004; Number 38. - An Overview of Nuclear Threats
Nuclear News 2002;45 (6):31-35 - Pocket Guide for Responders to Ionizing Radiation Terrorism-Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
'Provides information such as diagnosis, treatment considerations, decontamination procedures, and public health reporting procedures.
Reference Tools
- Glossary of Radiologic Terms- Hyperlinked terms from the CDC, also available in PDF format.
- Activity: How Much Is Present? - Measurement values for radioactivity from REAC/TS Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
- Health Physics Society - Radiation Fact Sheets
PDA and other Software Resources
- Hotspot Health Physics Codes- Created to provide emergency response personnel and emergency planners with a fast, field-portable set of software tools for evaluating incidents involving radioactive material.
- TerrResp (Terrorism Response: Field Guide for Fire & EMS Organizations)- A commercial PDA product, it includes information on radiological terrorism, as well as response procedures and decontamination.
- Internet Health Physics Resources - Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) - Extensive list of links, including Emergency Response resources and links to free software calculators.
Selected Guidelines
- Radiation Disasters and Children - American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement. PEDIATRICS 2003;(6) 1455-1466
- Guidance: Potassium Iodide as a Thyroid Blocking Agent in Radiation Emergencies U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research