Trainers:
Information for Radiation Emergencies
Including Practices and Drills

Training for Medical Experts and Radiation Safety Subject Matter Experts

• CBRNE Medical Operations Science Support Expert (CMOSSE)
  • Coleman, C., Bader, J., Koerner, J., Hrdina, C., et al. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) Science and the CBRNE Science Medical Operations Science Support Expert (CMOSSE). Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2019 Jun 17:1-16. [PubMed Citation]
• Counter-Terrorism Medicine
  • Court M, Edwards B, Issa F, Voskanyan A, Ciottone G. Counter-Terrorism Medicine: Creating a Medical Initiative Mandated by Escalating Asymmetric Attacks. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2020 Dec;35(6):595-598. [PubMed Citation]
• Radiological Operations Support Specialist (ROSS)
  • Description: radiation protection specialist trained and exercised to prepare for, respond to, and recover from any radiological or nuclear incident.
  • ROSS information web portal is hosted by CRCPD: information includes
    • ROSS Training calendar
    • ROSS stories
    • ROSS links
    • ROSS guidance documents
  • Irwin W, The ROSS: A Radiological/Nuclear Subject Matter Expert Filling a Critical National Need, Health Phys 2018;114(2):141-147. (Provides a detailed description of training and duties) [PubMed Citation]
  • Overview and integration of 3 types of ROSS specialists into the radiation emergency response (PDF - 18 MB) (Dan Blumenthal, Ph.D., DOE)
  • DHS Overview of ROSS responders (DHS)
  • More radiation incident information for those training for ROSS certification is available to those who register and are accepted on RadResponder.net
• RadResponder
  • CBRN Responder: umbrella organization for RadResponder (See especially at 1h 45min time stamp for RadResponder specifically) (YouTube - 2:10:51)
  • Complete RadResponder Playlist on YouTube (YouTube)
  • RadResponder: functions, assets and sponsors (YouTube - 13:08 minutes)
• Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN)
  • Extensive Training Materials: documents and videos
  • RITN Acute Radiation Syndrome Treatment Guidelines (PDF - 2.53 MB) (RITN, October 2020)
  • Cytokine Administration Triage Guidelines for Acute Radiation Syndrome (Adult and Pediatric)
    • The purpose of these guidelines are to give physicians, advanced practitioners and nurses (medical providers) simple myeloid cytokine triage guidelines to assist with the administration of these pharmaceuticals to adult and pediatric casualties in the immediate aftermath of a radiological disaster.
    • Formats available
      • 4x6 card (PDF - 635 KB)
      • 8.5x11 size (PDF - 678 KB)
      • 24x36 poster size (PDF - 129 KB)
• Medical Physicists
  • Course for Medical Physicists to Learn to Support Radiological or Nuclear Emergencies (IAEA, WHO, IOMP, IRPA)

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How to Design and Evaluate Radiation Drills/Exercises?

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • National Exercise Program (DHS/FEMA)
  • Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) (DHS/FEMA)
  • National Level Exercise
  • Exercise and Preparedness Tools
• HHS/CDC
  • Community Reception Center (CRC) Drill Toolkit
    • This new toolkit has been created to help communities, agencies, and emergency planners design and implement a Community Reception Center (CRC) Drill, practicing a response for a radiological or nuclear incident.
    • The CRC Drill toolkit provides guidance and templates that any jurisdiction can adapt to exercise the full range of CRC operations.
    • The drill was developed to be compatible with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). It also incorporates insights, issues, and lessons learned from real-world events.
• Other
  • Electronic Mass Casualty Assessment & Planning Scenarios (EMCAPS) (Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response)
    • Standalone disaster scenario modeling software for drill planning and education
    • EMCAPS estimates casualties arising from selected biological, chemical, radiological (dirty bomb) or explosive attacks
  • Preparation, Conduct and Evaluation of Exercises to Test Preparedness for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency (PDF - 1,376 KB) (IAEA, April 2005)
  • Savoia E, Preston J, Biddinger PD. A Consensus Process on the Use of Exercises and After Action Reports to Assess and Improve Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013 Mar 28:1-3. [PubMed Citation]
• FEMA Training Courses
  • FEMA Training Centers
    • Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP)
    • Emergency Management Institute (EMI)
    • National Training and Education Division (NTED)
  • National Preparedness Course Catalog
    • Type radiation, radiological or nuclear into search box to find courses
  • Listing of Incident Command (IC) and National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) courses
  • FEMA Radiological Emergency Preparedness: Resources and Training
• HHS/ASPR/HPP Hospital Preparedness Program
  • The only source of federal funding that supports regional health care system preparedness.
  • HPP promotes a sustained national focus to improve patient outcomes, minimize the need for supplemental state and federal resources during emergencies, and enable rapid recovery
• Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN)
  • Extensive review of RITN Radiation Emergency Preparedness Exercises

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IAEA Resources for Nuclear Accident Preparedness Program

• Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan of the International Organizations (PDF - 38 KB) (2013, see 17 organizations on cover page)
• Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan of the International Organizations (PDF - 1.57 MB) (European Commission, Europol, FAO, IAEA, INTERPOL, IMO, OECD/NEA, PAHO, UNEP, UN/OCHA, UN/OOSA, WHO, WMO, ICAO, UNSCEAR, January 1, 2010)
• Manual for First Responders to a Radiological Emergency (PDF - 2.2 MB) (CTIF, IAEA, PAHO, WHO, October 2006)
• Practical Radiation Technical Manual, Health Effects & Medical Surveillance (PDF - 424 KB) (IAEA, 2004)
• Practical Radiation Technical Manual, Workplace Monitoring for Radiation & Contamination (PDF - 444 KB) (IAEA, 2004)
• Practical Radiation Technical Manual, Personal Protective Equipment (PDF - 439 KB) (IAEA, 2004)
• Practical Radiation Technical Manual, Individual Monitoring (PDF - 397 KB) (IAEA, 2004)
• Assessment of Occupational Exposure due to Intakes of Radionuclides Safety Guide (PDF - 316 KB) (IAEA Safety Reports Series No. RS-G-1.2, 1999)
• Assessment of Occupational Exposure due to External Sources of Radiation Safety Guide(PDF - 307 KB) (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. RS-G-1.3, 1999)
• Medical Preparedness and Response (Educational Material) (PDF - 2,290 KB) (Safety Reports Series No. 4, Vienna 1998)
• Generic Assessment Procedures for Determining Protective Actions During a Reactor Accident (PDF - 2,595 KB) (IAEA-TECDOC-955, August 1997)

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For Radiology Professionals

• Disaster preparedness for radiology professionals: Response to terrorism (PDF - 357 KB)
  (American College of Radiology, 2005, Government Version 3.0)

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For Academic and Community Medical Centers

• Ready for Some Radiation? (John L. Hick, MD, April 15, 2019, Association of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Professionals) (YouTube - 1:02:13 min)
  • Introduction to radiation
  • Spectrum of incidents reviewed and analyzed for response activities
• Majewski M, Combs SE, Trott KR, Abend M, Port M. Successful Teaching of Radiobiology Students in the Medical Management of Acute Radiation Effects From Real Case Histories Using Clinical Signs and Symptoms and Taking Advantage of Recently Developed Software Tools. Health Phys. 2018;115(1):49‐56. [PubMed Citation]
• Sarin RR, Biddinger P, Brown J, et al. Core Disaster Medicine Education (CDME) for Emergency Medicine Residents in the United States. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(5):473–480. [PubMed Citation]
• Karam PA. Suggested Training and Experience Qualifications for Health and Safety Officers During a Radiological Incident. Health Phys. 2020 Apr;118(4):458-461. [PubMed Citation]
• Schleipman AR, Gerbaudo VH, Castronovo FP Jr. Radiation Disaster Response: Preparation & Simulation Experience at an Academic Medical Center. J Nucl Med Technol. 2004 Mar;32(1):22-7. [PubMed Citation]
• Smith JM, Ansari A, Harper FT. Hospital management of mass radiological casualties: reassessing exposures from contaminated victims of an exploded radiological dispersal device. Health Phys. 2005 Nov;89(5):513-20. [PubMed Citation]
  
• Waeckerle JF, Seamans S, Whiteside M, Pons PT, White S, Burstein JL, Murray R; Task Force of Health Care and Emergency Services Professionals on Preparedness for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Incidents. Executive summary: Developing objectives, content, and competencies for the training of emergency medical technicians, emergency physicians, and emergency nurses to care for casualties resulting from nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) incidents. Ann Emerg Med. 2001 Jun;37(6):587-601. [PubMed Citation]
• Braun BI, Wineman NV, Finn NL, Barbera JA, Schmaltz SP, Loeb JM. Integrating hospitals into community emergency preparedness planning. Ann Intern Med. 2006 Jun 6;144(11):799-811. [PubMed Citation]

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