Public Information Officers:
Information for Radiation Emergencies

HHS and CDC Resources about Radiation

• Radiation Emergencies (HHS/ASPR)
• Radiation Emergencies (HHS/CDC)
• Radiation Emergency Audience Research (HHS/CDC)
• Communications of Exposure and Health Monitoring and Surveillance Data During an Emergency Response (PDF - 575 KB) (Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance [ERHMS] System, NIOSH/CDC)
• Myths of Radiation: Communicating in Radiation Emergencies (HHS/CDC)
• Emergency Risk Communication (HHS/CDC)
• Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (HHS/SAMHSA)
• Radiation Information for the General Public (HHS/CDC)
• Sheltering in Place During a Radiation Emergency (HHS/CDC)
• Facts About Evacuation During a Radiation Emergency (HHS/CDC)
• Dirty Bomb or Radiological Dispersal Device (HHS/CDC Infographic)
• Nuclear Weapon (HHS/CDC Infographic)

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Selected Other US Government Communications Resources

• PAG Manual: Protective Action Guides and Planning Guidance for Radiological Incidents, EPA-400/R-17/001 (PDF - 1.48 MB) (EPA, January 2017) has companion documents to help emergency responders prepare public communication materials prior to and during a radiation emergency.
  • Protective Action Area Map Templates (download as word document (10 pp, 16 MB, September 2017, EPA-420/K-17/003)
    • Templates for state, local, and tribal governments that need to provide evacuation, go inside, food, and/or drinking water guidance quickly to a population in a specific geographical area
  • Protective Action Questions and Answers for Radiological and Nuclear emergencies: A companion document to the US EPA PAG Manual (PDF - 3.51 MB) (EPA, September 2017)
  • Communicating Radiation Risks: Crisis Communications for Emergency Responders (PDF - 18.2 MB) (EPA, September 2007)
• Emergency Support Function 15, Standard Operating Procedures (PDF - 2.42 MB) (DHS/FEMA, July 2019)
  • Annex N of the ESF 15: Radiological Incidents
    • Details radiological incident communications strategy, actions, and coordination needed to execute a unified public outreach effort in response to a domestic nuclear/radiological accident, an act of nuclear/radiological terrorism, or a nation state sponsored nuclear attack."
      • Pre-scripted message for radiation emergencies: pages N12 – N16
      • Radiation Infographics: page N10
      • Resource toolkit for nuclear and radiological threat information.
      • Use to help prepare for such incidents and to communicate with and educate stakeholders
  • This SOP establishes procedures and protocols for "Emergency Support Function 15" External Affairs to support Federal domestic incident management during an incident requiring a coordinated Federal response.
  • "Provides the public with timely and accurate lifesaving information during major incidents remains our highest priority."
  • The US government's "primary guiding document to coordinate outreach and ensure consistent public information through an integrated Federal incident communications system."
  • "Annex N of the ESF 15 document details radiological incident communications strategy, actions, and coordination needed to execute a unified public outreach effort in response to a domestic nuclear/radiological accident, an act of nuclear/radiological terrorism, or a nation state sponsored nuclear attack."
• Information for Public Information Officers from RadResponder.net (FEMA, DOE/NNSA, EPA)
  • Aggregated information from various government resources
  • Contains infographics, videos, prescripted messages for use in managing radiation incidents, data sheets
• Other federal communication resources
  • Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS from FEMA): used for all types of emergencies not just radiation
  • Wireless Emergency Alerts
  • Shared Communication Systems and Infrastructure (DHS/FEMA/CISA)

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International Recommendations about Communication during Radiation Emergencies

• Operations Manual for Incident and Emergency Communications (IAEA, 2020)
• International Symposium on Communicating Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies to the Public (PDF - 6.5 MB) (IAEA and international agencies, October 2018)
  • Excellent, comprehensive information about how, what, when to communicate including with social media.
• Leadership, Human Performance and Internal Communication in Nuclear Emergencies (IAEA, 2017)

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Communicating After an IND detonation: Resource for Responders and Officials

• Nuclear Detonation Preparedness: Communicating in the Immediate Aftermath (DHS/FEMA, April 2024)
• Communicating in a Nuclear Disaster: Observations from COVID-19 (July 2020) (Zoom recorded video by Vivi Siegel (CDC) and Jessica Wieder (EPA) hosted on NACCHO platform (1 hour 5 min)
• A Decision Makers Guide: Medical Planning and Response for a Nuclear Detonation (HHS/ASPR, November 2017)
• Improvised Nuclear Device Response and Recovery: Communicating in the Immediate Aftermath (US Government Interagency Nuclear Detonation Response Communications Working Group, June 2013)
• Simple Lifesaving Message after a Nuclear Detonation
  • Source: Coleman et al. Medical Planning and Response for a Nuclear Detonation: a Practical Guide, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science 2012; 10(4):346-371. See Figure 10.
    • This example is only a potential template.
    • Senior managers of an incident will customize the exact message as appropriate for the incident specifics and venue.
• Responding to a Radiological or Nuclear Terrorism Incident: A Guide for Decision Makers (PDF - 1.61 MB) (NCRP Report No. 165, Appendix B, page 124, Public Information Statements), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, 2010.
• Advising the public about radiation emergencies (NCRP Commentary No. 10), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, 1994.
• Rad Resilient City, a Preparedness Checklist to Save Lives After a Nuclear Detonation (PDF - 579 KB, See Appendix C, pages 53-61) (September 27, 2011, Center for Biosecurity of UPMC) (Overview)
• Improvised Nuclear Device (HHS/CDC Infographic)
• Nuclear Weapon (HHS/CDC Infographic)

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Communicating After an RDD

• Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Response Guidance, Planning for the First 100 Minutes (PDF - 2.68 MB) (DHS, NUSTL, NNSA, FEMA, November 2017)
  • See educational video version of this document
• Dirty Bomb or Radiological Dispersal Device (HHS/CDC Infographic)
• Rogers MB, Amlot R, Rubin GJ. The Impact of communication materials on public responses to a radiological dispersal device (RDD) attack. Biosecur Bioterror. 2013 Mar;11(1):49-58. [PubMed Citation]

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Communicating Radiation Risks

• Wieder JS. Communicating Radiation Risk: The Power of Planned, Persuasive Messaging. Health Phys. 2019 Feb;116(2):207-211. [PubMed Citation]
• From Radiological Incidents to Nuclear Calamities: Social, Behavioral, and Risk Communication Issues in Radiation Emergencies, Lecture by Steven Becker, Ph.D. (1 hour:09 min video for 10th Annual IDMH conference, SUNY New Palz, April 19, 2013)
• Communicating Radiation Risks (PDF - 16.7 MB) (EPA, 2008)

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Role of Social Media

• FEMA social media (DHS/FEMA)
• Muniz-Rodriguez K, Ofori SK, Bayliss LC, Schwind JS, Diallo K, Liu M, Yin J, Chowell G, Fung IC. Social Media Use in Emergency Response to Natural Disasters: A Systematic Review With a Public Health Perspective. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2020 Feb;14(1):139-149. [PubMed Citation]
• Merchant RM, Lurie N. Social Media and Emergency Preparedness in Response to Novel Coronavirus [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 23]. JAMA. 2020 [PubMed Citation]
  • After a large nuclear detonation, issues would likely arise requiring a robust social media response similar to those addressed in this article.
• International Symposium on Communicating Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies to the Public (PDF - 6.5 MB) (IAEA and international agencies, October 2018)
  • Excellent, comprehensive information about how, what, when to communicate including with social media.
• Use of Social Media by First Responders in Disasters (DHS, Virtual Social Media Working Group)
  • From Concept to Reality: Operationalizing Social Media for Preparedness, Response and Recovery, Virtual Social Media working Group and DHS First Responders Group (PDF - 3.18 MB) (DHS, April 2016)
  • Using Social Media for Enhanced Situational Awareness and Decision Support (DHS, Virtual Social Media Working Group and DHS First Responders Group, June 2014)
  • Lessons Learned: Social Media and Hurricane Sandy (DHS, Virtual Social Media Working Group and DHS First Responders Group, June 2013)
• Merchant RM, Elmer S, Lurie N. Integrating social media into emergency-preparedness efforts. N Engl J Med. 2011 Jul 28;365(4):289-91. [PubMed Citation]
• Crowe A. The social media manifesto: a comprehensive review of the impact of social media on emergency management. J Bus Contin Emer Plan. 2011 Feb;5(1):409-20. [PubMed Citation]
• Reddick C. Information technology and emergency management: preparedness and planning in US states. Disasters. 2011 Jan;35(1):45-61. [PubMed Citation]

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Communicating During Public Health Emergencies

• US Government/FEMA Broadcast Channels and Systems
  • Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS from FEMA): used for all types of emergencies not just radiation
  • Wireless Emergency Alerts (DHS/FEMA)
  • Shared Communication Systems and Infrastructure (DHS/FEMA/CISA)
• Effective Media Communication During Public Health Emergencies, WHO Handbook and Field Guide (WHO, 2005)
• Crisis Emergency Risk Communication, 2014 edition (PDF - 11.4 MB) (HHS/CDC)
  • Other CDC information about Crisis Communications (HHS/CDC)
• Level of health literacy
  • Paakkari L, Okan O. COVID-19: health literacy is an underestimated problem. Lancet Public Health. 2020;S2468-2667(20)30086-4. [PubMed Citation]
    • Although the article above is about COVID-19, similar issues could arise during a mass casualty radiation incident.

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Other Resources

Monographs

• Emergency Alert and Warning Systems: Current Knowledge and Future Research Directions Consensus Study Report (NASEM, 2018)
• Communication with the Public in a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency (IAEA, 2012)
• Responding to a Radiological or Nuclear Terrorism Incident: A Guide for Decision Makers (PDF - 1.61 MB) (NCRP Report No. 165, Appendix B, page 124, Public Information Statements), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, 2010.
• Advising the public about radiation emergencies (NCRP Commentary No. 10), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, 1994.
• Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communications Guidelines for Public Officials (HHS/SAMHSA, 2002)
• Management of terrorist events involving radioactive material (NCRP Report No. 138), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, 2001. (See Chapter 7: Public Communication, pp. 79-90.)
• Communicating Radiation Risks: Crisis Communications for Emergency Responders. (PDF - 16.7 MB) EPA document EPA-401-F-008, September 2007, available by contacting EPA: radiation.information@epa.gov or by phone (202)343-9290.

Journal Articles

• Gallego E, Cantone MC, Oughton DH, Perko T, Prezelj I, Tomkiv Y. Mass media communication of emergency issues and countermeasures in a nuclear accident: Fukushima reporting in European newspapers. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2017 Apr 1;173(1-3):163-169. [PubMed Citation]
• Zahringer M, Luff R, Schiesewitz M, Burbeck S, Hogg R. From dose rate to websites: making measurements accessible, understandable and helpful to the lay public. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2014 Aug;160(4):322-5. [PubMed Citation]
• Becker SM. Risk communication and radiological/nuclear terrorism: a strategic view. Health Phys. 2011 Nov;101(5):551-8. [PubMed Citation]
• Becker SM, Emergency communication and information issues in terrorism events involving radioactive materials. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. 2004;2(3):195-207.[PubMed Citation]
• Becker SM, Middleton SA. Improving hospital preparedness for radiological terrorism: perspectives from emergency department physicians and nurses. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2008 Oct;2(3):174-84. [PubMed Citation]

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