DOE/NNSA
Nuclear/Radiological
Emergency Response Assets
Steven M. Johnson
Regional Response Coordinator
RAP Region 2
U.S. Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
Consequence
Management
Federal Radiological Monitoring
Assessment Center
Operational & logistic management cell focused on
radiological consequence management
National
Atmospheric Release
Advisory Center
Computer modeling of
transport, diffusion &
disposition of radioactive
& hazardous material
Aerial
Measurements
System
Airborne radiological
sensing & surveying
capabilities
Radiological
Assistance
Program
Crisis
Response
FRMAC
Nuclear/Radiological
Advisory Team
NRAT
NARAC
AMS
DOE subject matter experts directly
supporting FBI or Dept of State
Search
Response
Team
SRT
DOE/NNSA
Emergency
Response
Assets
RAP
RAP
Specialized search for lost
or stolen nuclear devices,
weapons or material
JTOT
Joint Technical
Operations Team
Radiological
measurements &
advice to public sector
Triage
REAC/TS
Radiation Emergency
Assistance Center/
Training Site
Expert medical assistance for
radiation exposure accidents
Advance technical
capabilities to neutralize
or move nuclear WMD
devices
ARG
Triage
Gamma Spectroscopy
Home Team
Accident Response Group
Scientific technical expertise & equipment to
a U.S. nuclear
weapon
Official
Useaccident/incident
Only
2
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Authorities
– Atomic Energy Act – Establishes Civilian control of weapons program
and establishes custody of SNM and nuclear weapons
– Presidential Decision Directive 39 – DOE will maintain a robust
capability to respond to nuclear terrorism
– Presidential Decision Directive 62 – DOE provides technical support for
NCR WMD response
– National Response Plan – DOE will maintain and improve search,
access, diagnostics, render-safe and consequence management capabilities
– NSPD 17/HSPD 4 – DOE will bolster WMD and counter-proliferation
activities
– Executive Order 12656 – DOE will conduct national security emergency
preparedness planning, ensure continuity of nuclear weapons production,
assure the security of nuclear materials weapons or devices in DOE
possession
– HSPD 5 – DHS is principal Federal agency in domestic incident
management and will construct a NRF, Attorney General in lead for
investigation of terrorist acts
3
CM Mission
• Provide timely, high-quality predictions,
measurements, analyses, and assessments to promote
efficient and effective emergency response for the
protection of the public from the consequences of
nuclear or radiological incidents.
• Mission space includes any deliberate or accidental
incident that results in a real, potential, or perceived
release of radioactive material that exceeds the
capacity of local responders (e.g. nuclear detonation,
RDD, nuclear facility accident, weapon accident).
4
Radiological Assistance
Program (RAP)
Mission Statement
Provide first-responder radiological assistance to
protect the health and safety of the general public
and the environment. Assist other Federal, State,
Tribal, and local agencies in the detection,
identification and analysis, and response to events
involving the use of radiological/nuclear material.
Provide training assistance to federal, state,
tribal, and local agencies to enhance the overall
national response capability to a
nuclear/radiological event.
6
Regional Coordinating Offices
• The RAP is implemented on a
regional basis, to foster a timely
response capability and coordination
between DOE and State, Tribal, and
local emergency response elements.
– Nine geographical DOE regions to include
the NCR
– each DOE Region is managed by a
Regional Coordinating Office (RCO)
– each RCO maintains a Regional Response
Coordinator (RRC), who manages the
activities of the regional RAP
7
8
ME
WA
ND
MT
OR
8
Alaska
MN
NY
ID
WS
6
7
SD
MI
PA
IA
5
NB
NV
OH
IL
UT
1
WY
IN
KS
CA
MO
KY
VA
2
AZ
OK
TX
7
AL
(NCR)
3
SC
AK
MS
NJ
NC
TN
4
NM
VT
MA
RI
MD DE
0
WV
CO
N
H
2
GA
LA
FL
Puerto Rico
Hawaii
3
Office
Location
1. Brookhaven, NY
2. Oak Ridge, TN
3. Savannah River/Aiken, SC
4. Albuquerque, NM
5. Chicago, IL
6. Idaho Falls, ID
7. Livermore, CA
8. Richland, WA
0. Andrews AFB
RAP Regional Response Coordinator
Mark Parsons
Steve Johnson
Christina Edwards
Kent Gray
Christine Van Horn
Steve Morreale
Sarah Hartson
Diane Clark
Jerald Bond
631-344-7978
865-576-9740
803-952-6613
505-845-6300
630-252-2498
208-526-0199
925-422-0138
509-376-8519
301-817-3362
Panama Canal Zone
24 hour
Emergency #
631-344-2200
865-576-1005
803-725-3333
505-845-4667
630-252-4800
208-526-1515
925-422-8951
509-373-3800
1-800-405-1140
2
Virgin Islands
Regional Response Coordinator
• Regional Response Coordinator (RRC)
responsibilities include:
– maintaining a 24-hour emergency telephone number
– coordinating DOE emergency response activities
related to requests for radiological assistance in the
Region
– acting as the main regional point of contact for RAP
interactions with other Federal, State, Tribal, and
local government agencies
– ensuring the RAP is fully implemented in the region
9
RAP Team Configuration
• RAP teams consist of volunteer employees from DOE
and DOE contractor/facilities
• Each region has a minimum of three teams
• A team consists of eight members; one Team Leader,
one Team Captain, six Health Physics Survey/Support
personnel, one of which is also a Scientist
• Additional personnel are available, such as public
information officers, industrial hygienists,
transportation specialist, logistics support, etc.
• Response tailored to the specific incident
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RAP Team Response Time Objectives
• Should be fully mobilized
within 2-4 hours of activation
• Should arrive on-scene within
6-8 hours of activation
• Maintain response capability for at least 24 hours
after arrival
• Most regions have charter aircraft capability for
responses further than 200 miles
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RAP Team Capabilities (Cont)
• Crisis Response
– Counterterrorism Support
– Law Enforcement Investigation Support
– Events involving the inappropriate use of
radiological sources---RDDs, INDs, etc.
– National Special Security Events
& Special Events participation
RAP Team Capabilities (Cont)
• Consequence Management
– Response to Nuclear Power Plant events
– Response to DOE fixed facility events
– Response to Office of Secure Transportation or
other nuc/rad material shipments
– Lost radiological sources
Search
Portals
In Foreign
Port
Facilities
Securing
of Sources
In Foreign
Countries
Checkpoi
nt / Way
station
Detectors
(Detection
)
Search
Render Safe –
Device
Disassembly
And Disposition
JTOT
Disposition
Attribution of
Device to
Responsible
Parties
Portals in
US Ports
Distributed
and on Border
Detectors
Crossings
(Detection)
(Detection)
Render Safe –
Technical
Analysis
LGAT
JTOT
failure
• Detect presence of radiation
• Hazard assessment
– Device or material or benign
source
Render Safe
Operations
JTOT
LGAT
Consequence
Management
FRMAC
AMS
REAC/TS
NARAC
“Detection” is defined as a radiation
survey activity that is routine in nature
(portals on the border, police with pagers,
etc.).
“Search” is the effort to find a radiation
source that is driven by Intelligence
and/or other special event (NSSE,
verified detection event, etc.).
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Department of Energy Programs
Radiological Assistance Program
Radiological Triage Program
Search Support Team
Operational Lead
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Homeland Security
Home Team and Radiological Triage
System
Mission - Positively identify radioactive sources
and discriminate between Special Nuclear
Material and non-yield producing radiological
material. Provides immediate, remote,
electronic access to peer-reviewed nuclear
weapon's expertise. Supports other deployed
teams.
Ensures the scope of a nuclear/radiological
response is sufficient for health and safety of
responders and general public without
placing excessive and unnecessary demands
on critical resources.
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Limitations of Assistance
• RAP supports and provides assistance to the
appropriate on-scene authority
• Assistance provided by RAP does
not preempt state, tribal, or local authority
•The primary responsibility for the incident
remains with the owner of the material
•RAP involvement ends when assistance is
no longer needed or there are other
sufficient resources (state, local, private)
at the scene
•RAP does not transport radioactive wastes
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Standard Team Training
• Radiation protection workers
by training (and profession)
• HAZMAT Technician (or
HAZWOPER) training
• Nuclear weapons response
training
• Commercial power plant
response training
• Consequence Management
(FRMAC) training
• Search/Triage training
• Special instrumentation and
communications training
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Standard Response Equipment
• Radiation instrumentation
– gamma spectroscopy (NaI and HPGe)
– alpha contamination monitoring
– beta/gamma contamination monitoring
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Standard Response Equipment
–
–
–
–
–
gamma radiation monitoring
neutron radiation monitoring
FIDLER detectors
air samplers (hi- & lo-vol)
telescoping high range G-M’s
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Region 2 Response Vehicles
•
•
•
•
Monitoring Equip
Personnel
Supplies
PPE
20
RAP Interactions (other Federal)
• Dept of Defense
• Dept of Justice
• Dept of Homeland
Security
• U.S. Coast Guard
• Others as requested
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Consequence
Management
Federal Radiological Monitoring
Assessment Center
Operational & logistic management cell focused on
radiological consequence management
National
Atmospheric Release
Advisory Center
Computer modeling of
transport, diffusion &
disposition of radioactive
& hazardous material
Aerial
Measurements
System
Airborne radiological
sensing & surveying
capabilities
Radiological
Assistance
Program
Crisis
Response
FRMAC
Nuclear/Radiological
Advisory Team
NRAT
NARAC
AMS
DOE subject matter experts directly
supporting FBI or Dept of State
Search
Response
Team
SRT
DOE/NNSA
Emergency
Response
Assets
RAP
RAP
Specialized search for lost
or stolen nuclear devices,
weapons or material
JTOT
Joint Technical
Operations Team
Radiological
measurements &
advice to public sector
Triage
REAC/TS
Radiation Emergency
Assistance Center/
Training Site
Expert medical assistance for
radiation exposure accidents
Advance technical
capabilities to neutralize
or move nuclear WMD
devices
ARG
Triage
Gamma Spectroscopy
Home Team
Accident Response Group
Scientific technical expertise & equipment to
a U.S. nuclear
weapon
Official
Useaccident/incident
Only
22
5
DOE Emergency Response Assets
Basic Expectations

Provide technical & operational
support in coordination with lead
agencies

Respond quickly to support other
agencies in nuclear/radiological
accidents or incidents

Furnish resources appropriate to the
situation

Focused and trained to deal with
unusual technical challenges
Response Timeline
Region IV Homeland
Security Summit
Nuclear/Radiological Advisory Team
Provides an emergency response capability in the resolution of
domestic and international nuclear incidents






On-Scene Command & Control
Scientific & Technical Advice
Maritime Search Techniques & Equipment
Coordination of Follow-On DOE Support
Limited Mobile Search
Secure Data/Voice Communication
• 6 Person Team
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Search Response Team
• Search Operations




Handheld (backpacks)
Aerial-based
Vehicle-based
Maritime
• Technical Support
 Gamma & Neutron detection systems
 GIS
• Train and outfit additional searchers from
first responder or law enforcement agencies
26
Joint Technical Operations Team
Technical support to FBI and DOD to render-safe a
RDD/IND and to move to safe location for disassembly
• Phase I - Tactical Operations
• Phase II - Advanced Tactical Operations
• Safe-to-Ship Decision
• Phase III - Disposition Operations
27
National Atmospheric
Release Advisory Center
• Plume Model predictions
• 24-7 scientific and technical support
• Access to world-wide weather data and
geographical information
28
Aerial Measuring System
• Provides nationwide aerial measurements to
detect, analyze, and map radioactive material
on the ground before & during emergencies
– Activate within 4-hrs
– Fixed-wing & helicopter capability at Andrews
AFB and Nellis AFB
– Capability also at RAP Region 3
– Search for lost radioactive sources or fragments
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Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/
Training Site
• 24/7 assistance to Federal, State, and local
governments as well as IAEA, foreign
governments, and private physicians regarding
medical management of radiation injuries
• 3 person team that is wheels-up within 4-hrs
 Physician
 Health Physicist
 Nurse/Paramedic
• Cytogenetic Biodosimetry
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Consequence Management Response Team
Provides data collection and interpretation, advice, and
assistance to key leaders for decision making in the event
of a radiological emergency
• Consequence Management Home Team
• CMRT I
• CMRT II
• Augmentation
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Federal Radiological Monitoring
and Assessment Center
• Representation from DOE, DoD, EPA,
HHS, FBI and other federal agencies
• Coordinates all federal environmental
monitoring and assessment activities during
an incident
• Provides GIS, communications, technical,
and administrative support to state and local
entities
32
Region 2 Program Management
Numbers
• 24-hr/7-day emergency contact – (865) 576-1005
• RAP Region 2 Regional Response Coordinator
– Steve Johnson (865) 576-9740
– johnsonsm@oro.doe.gov
• RAP Region 2 Contractor Response Coordinator
– Ed Maples (865) 241-3123
– maplesce@y12.doe.gov
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