Introduction to Radiation
Response
and Preparedness in Illinois
Illinois Emergency Management Agency
Bureau of Disaster Assistance and Preparedness
Basics to Illinois Preparedness
• Where is Illinois in the Nuclear/Radioactive Material
Business?
• Who’s is in charge?
• How does Illinois Prepare?
• What exactly does the state do?
• Contaminated patients
• Contamination Control
• Resources available
Nuclear Illinois
• Illinois has 6 operating plants
• 11 reactors
• Spent storage facilities
• Argonne National Lab
• Major shipping corridors
• 750 Radioactive Material
Licensees
•20,000 radiation producing
machines
Nuclear Illinois
In Comparison
Who is in Charge???
• Exelon is owner/operator of Illinois’
reactors
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
oversees Exelon
• Federal Emergency Management
(FEMA) oversees planning and safety
outside the fence
• Illinois Emergency Management
Agency (IEMA) implements Illinois Plan
for Radiological Accidents (IPRA)
Preparedness is addressed
through IPRA
• IPRA Establishes a state-wide policy for
responders
• IPRA outlines responsibilities for:
• State
• County
• Municipal Jurisdictions
Responsibilities
• Each agency has specific roles outlined in
the IPRA plan
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ISP security and traffic access and control
IDNR secures waterways and state parks
IDPH notifies POD hospitals
IEMA coordinating agency
• Division of Nuclear Safety is the response/scientific arm
IEMA
• Monitors plants
•
• Remotely
• Gamma Det. Network (GDN), Reactor Data
Link (RDL), Gaseous Emission Monitoring
System (GEMS)
Directly
• On-site via Resident Inspectors
• Quarterly environmental samples
• Extensive Training Program
• State
• County
• Municipal
Ensuring Preparedness
• Plans are developed around 16 planning
standards
• Plans are exercised every 2 years
• Last 2 years IEMA has averaged 4,000 +
participants each year
2011 Activities
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Dresden 3/23/11 Partial
Quad Cities 4/20/11 Utility
LaSalle 5/18/11 Utility
Byron 7/27/11 Partial
Braidwood 9/14/11 Utility
Zion 11/2/11 Defueled
Clinton 11/30/11 Full
State Incident Response Center
(SIRC)
Radiological Emergency
Assessment Center (REAC)
Unified Area Command
Radiological Assessment Field Team
(RAFT)
RAFT Capabilities
• Field Teams Collect
• Air, water, grass, soil and foods (corn and
garden plants)
• Mobile Laboratory
• Prepares and analyzes samples
• Isotopes
• Radiation Levels
• IDOT Helicopter is equipped with detection
equipment
• Maps plume outline and levels
Radiation Incidents
Radiation incidents can be caused by
human error or intentional acts:
• Transportation
• Power plant (members of the public
only)
• Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD)
• Improvised Nuclear Device (IND)
Injured Contaminated Public
• Radioactive Materials are
considered hazardous
• Contamination is often
considered more “nuisance”
HOWEVER
• Injury takes precedence over
contamination
• Stabilize patient first
Contamination vs Exposure
• Exposed patients pose no
contamination issue
• Contaminated patients can
pose both
– Contamination issues
– Potential inhalation/ingestion
hazard (airborne particulate)
Protect Yourself
• Universal Precautions
– Gown, face shield, bouffant, booties and
DOUBLE GLOVES
• Control contamination by
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Changing gloves frequently
Minimize access to treatment area
Utilizing Nuclear Medicine Staff for monitoring
Bag patients hands and remove clothing
Decontamination
•
• Removing clothing can reduce
contamination by 80-90%
– Clothing should be double bagged and
stored in designated area
• Minimize use of water so
contamination does not spread
– Baby wipes
– Saline and 4x4 pads
– Use towels etc. to absorb any runoff
Considerations
• Upon notification of a
contaminated/potentially
contaminated patient
– Notify additional staff
• Nuclear Medicine
• Maintenance
• Emergency Department Staff
• Contaminated patients are
personnel intensive
Resources Available
• IEMA – Radiological Duty Officer
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Contamination control measures
Decontamination methods
Dispatch additional staff
Monitoring and radiation levels
• REAC/TS – Radiation Emergency
Assessment Center/Training Site
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Recommend chelating agents
Contaminated wounds
Contaminated samples
Internal dose assessments
Want more information?
• Visit our website!!!!
• IEMA http://iema.illinois.gov/iema/
• RTF
http://iema.illinois.gov/radiation/pdf/B
NFS_RTFBrochure.pdf
• REAC
http://iema.illinois.gov/radiation/pdf/B
NFS_REACBrochure.pdf
Resources
Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/ Training Site
(REAC/TS) (865) 576-1005
• www.orau.gov/reacts/
Medical Radiobiology Advisory Team (MRAT) Armed
Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI)
(301) 295-0530
• www.afrri.usuhs.mil
Websites:
www.acr.org - Disaster Preparedness for Radiology
Professionals
www.afrri.usuhs.mil - Medical Management of
Radiological Casualties Handbook; Jarrett, 2003,
and Terrorism with Ionizing Radiation Pocket
Guide