The radiation protection knowledge and resources available today grew out of industrial, medical, defense, and research roots. Each of these have their own peculiar circumstances, their own needs, their own goals. And, their own professionals. Professionals who are trained and knowledgeable and able to perform with safety and confidence in their chosen field.
But now there is a new radiation protection need, and the professionals who will be called upon to fill it often do not have that training and that knowledge. This is the emergency response world, where most of responders will be pulled from their familiar professions and thrust into a new and dangerous environment. Thrust in during the chaos and confusion surrounding a catastrophe.
How do you, the transportation workers, the heavy equipment operators, the utility workers, the security workers, the workers from all the other specialties who will be called upon to rush in to save lives, to halt damage, to recover in the aftermath, get the training and knowledge you need protect yourself?
The information is out there. In many cases it is readily available to you. In other cases, not so readily. The purpose of this site is to provide a forum for you to find information, exchange information, develop information, and so that you are informed, and you have the confidence in your training, your knowledge, and your equipment to do your job well, and to do it safely.
Please use this site, and please contribute to this site. You can do that by adding comments or questions to any of the posted articles, and by creating and submitting your own. Pick any relevant topic, and share your knowledge.
The Posts page shows current posts and comments, and the individual pages provide topic-specific content.
Greetings. My name is Martin Vonk and I’ve been associated with the Nuclear Radiological Emergency Preparedness Programs since the early 1980’s. John asked me to participate, particularly in aspects related to Emergency Preparedness Rulemaking. I was involved in implementing the regulatory changes following the Three Mile Island Event, and I’ve remained involved to deal with the changes resulting from the lessons learned from the terrorist events occurring on September 11, 2001.
Like activities post-TMI, many regulatory actions were taken in the first few years following the 9/11 event directed by Federal authorities, but lacking formal rulemaking structure. The NRC is now in the process of formalizing those changes and other changes developed by the staff.
This thread will attempt to follow the rulemaking. I’ll be posting updates and comments, and welcome your feedback.