Radiation Detection Equipment

[NJFFSA16]

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the ongoing terror threats...how many departments have dusted off their detection equipment...or thought about acquiring some? It's something to think about...and discuss here. The Department of Energy is taking some initial steps....
______________________________ ___________________
DOE makes surplus radiation equipment available to state, local
officials as terror safeguard
By H. JOSEF HEBERT
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Energy Department is making surplus
radiation detection equipment available to state and local
officials in case it is needed to respond to a nuclear terror
attack, the department said Monday.
The equipment will "help ensure that our law enforcement and
emergency personnel have the necessary equipment and training to
prepare them to respond effectively and thoroughly to any
emergency," Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said in a statement.
The equipment, most of which is being refurbished after being
declared surplus at DOE weapons sites around the country, first
will go to states with the largest urban population centers,
officials said.
The devices, including hand-held dosimeters, filtering systems,
glove boxes and monitoring equipment, is being refurbished at the
Energy Department's material recycling center in Oak Ridge, Tenn.,
before its distribution.
Jointly administered by DOE and the Justice Department's Office
of Domestic Preparedness, the program is part of a broader federal
effort to better prepare police, fire officials and others who
would be the initial responders to a nuclear incident, officials
said.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement supply of the
material "demonstrates the administration's commitment to
equipping those on the domestic front lines - our state and local
emergency first responders - in the nation's effort to prevent
future terrorist attacks."
The Justice Department office will decide how the equipment will
be distributed, and the Energy Department will deliver the devices
to the states and communities, officials said. Training police,
firefighters and other local officials in how to use the equipment
will be conducted by federal agencies and through the private
Health Physics Society, an organization of radiation safety
professionals.
In an initial test phase of the program, equipment will be made
available to states with the nation's 10 largest metropolitan
areas: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington.
Much of the equipment is classified as surplus at DOE weapons
complex facilities because the sites have been cleaned up or closed
after being part of the government's nuclear weapons complex,
according to a fact sheet provided on an Energy Department web
site.
"In the past this equipment would be disposed of as waste at
considerable cost to the American taxpayers. ... DOE is now putting
the equipment to new uses in defending our nation," said the fact
sheet.
---
On The Net: Energy Department: www.oakridge.doe.gov
Justice Department: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press

[ADSNWFLD]

We have had and maintained the old CDV 777 monitoring kits for the last 15+ years. The meters go in to be calibrated and updated every 5 years Illinois' Office of Emergency Management has been supporting this program.
As a general rule as soon as a monitor is made it is outdated. The monitors offered by the DOE are much nicer and sensitive than the old CD stuff, but I have found them to also be more fragile and require more frequent callibration. This program isn't new just better publicized, now.
Our main purpose is to detect the presence of radiation. I wouldn't replace an old monitor with the new ones, perhaps just use it as a suppliment. I think we were thinking about getting something that can detect Alpha, since the CDV 700 can only detect Beta & Gamma.
A radiological emergency is about the easiest haz mat to respond to, (as long as you have a monitor) So I would encourage any team out there to take advantage of this program. But keep in mind that this, like all monitors, needs maintenance to be worth anything.

[RSchmidt]

Pleasant visual I am certain....

It boggles the mind to think that Richmond has I-64 and I-95 as well as a major CSX hub running smack dab through the middle of the city-oh yeah-there's a rivah too. I don't think that a contingency plan for detection of any Chemical,Radiological, or Biological agent is in place( other than calling the State Emerg. Svcs.). There certainly is not one in place for the FD.

Being a former member of the Nat'l Guard I always thought it would be a great idea to have an agreement in place with them-as they ALWAYS have their detection gear 'round and they are located strategically around the state-so deployment wouldn't be an issue.

Does anyone else have an agreement in place w/state or fed agency minus the bureaucracy?

[HTFD4107]

Thermo Eberline has come out with a really nice setup for emergency responders. They have a device with very simple controls, and it can act as either an ion chamber and/ or geiger counter. We are considering getting one here at my full time work (cyclotron). I thought it was a step in the right direction, being simple to use and relativley affordable.

ADSN is right, though. Any of these meters need to be in a regular maintainence program to keep them functional and useful. I have noticed a tendency on some teams to buy too much meter, or one that has features that no one in emergency response would use.....

[NJFFSA16]

I get a feeling that there isn't a lot of interest in this thread...and THAT's a shame. One of the next logical methods of terror attack would be radiological. And, I fear, we will be unprepared. The attitude of..."not gonna happen here" is gonna rear up and kick our collective a**es!

Anyone know what the half life of plutonium is? Cesium?

[HTFD4107]

Pu-239 half life is 24,000 years.
Cesium-137 is 30 years.
Americium-241 (found in smoke detectors) is 432 years.

[RSchmidt]

Gonna give this'un a big kick.....

What are y'alls contingency plans for this kind of incident. Do you have any fixed resources? Does anybody still maintain any fallout shelters? What about definate SOP's for your Dept?What would you do-personally?

[RyanEMVFD]

we have 3 giager(sp) counters that we've had for at least 10 years. they need new batteries if we are going to use them. as for any SOPs regarding any radiation incident, we currently do not have any. this is really sad since we have a major interstate (I-35) that runs though our district.

[HDERPM]

The program mentioned at the begining is actually the Homeland Defense Equipment Reuse Program (HDER). Detailed information can be obtained from the Responder Knowledge Base (www.rkb.mipt.org).

It offers all types of equipment (including radiation detection equipment), training, and technical support on any instrumentation provided, all at no cost to first responders.

[Safety33]

Besides the one in our station, our county is giving us one.