Information for Public Health Professionals

Public health professionals will play an important role in any radiation emergency. Key responsibilities (in addition to traditional public health functions) will include:

• Making shelter-in-place or evacuation recommendations
• Identifying people contaminated with radioactive materials or exposed to radiation (population monitoring)
• Conducting or assisting with decontamination
• Developing criteria for entry and operations within the incident site

To help state, local, and tribal public health professionals develop plans and response capacity for radiation emergencies, CDC has the following resources:

Planning

• Public Health Planning for Radiological/Nuclear Terrorism
• Population Monitoring in Radiation Emergencies
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) Roundtable Materials
• Radiological/Nuclear Law Enforcement and Public Health Investigation Handbook NEW!

Guidelines & Recommendations

• Population Monitoring Guide
  
• Guide for Handling Radioactive Contaminated Decedents
  
• Guidance for Caring for Individuals Exposed to Polonium 210
  Includes clinical guidance recommendations
• Japan Incident - CDC Recommendations for Public Health Follow-Up of Travelers
• Japan Incident - Epidemiology Form for Public Health Follow-Up of Travelers
• Japan - CDC Revised Recommendation to Radiation Control Health Physics Staff 4 13 2011

Training & Education

• Screening People for External Contamination
  
• Radiological Terrorism: A Tool Kit for Public Health Officials
• Psychological First Aid in Radiation Disasters NEW!

• Virtual Community Reception Center (vCRC) NEW!
  This training program provides public health planners, staff, volunteers, and partners with an orientation to CRC operations and allows them to explore a virtual CRC.  Continuing education credit is available for this product.

• CRC Operations in Radiation Emergencies: An Overview for Public Health Personnel
  This 13 minute training video provides an overview of community reception center (CRC) operations for public health personnel and response partners.
   

Related Links

• Tool Kit for Clinicians
• Training for Handling Radioactive Decedents
• Summary of CDC Roundtable on Population Monitoring
• Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation
• Countermeasures/Treatment
• Protecting Yourself and Your Family
• Types of Radiation Emergencies
• Strategic National Stockpile
• Report on the NACCHO/CDC Workshop on Operating Public Shelters During a Radiation Emergency (August 2010)