WPM-C - Emergency Response Part 2 Orlando VI 14:30 - 16:00
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| Chair(s): Patricia Milligan, Craig Marianno
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WPM-C.1
14:30 A Simulation Tool for Optimizing Community Reception Center Operations LF Finklea*, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract: Population monitoring at Community Reception Centers (CRCs) is one of the most challenging and demanding activities that local and state health departments will be involved in during a response to a nuclear or radiological incident. Setting up and staffing CRCs requires extensive planning. This includes determining staffing and equipment needs and estimating throughput and processing times. Very few tools are available to estimate and optimize CRC capabilities, and fewer are free to the user. Moreover, all existing simulations use estimated timing distributions for the various CRC process stations which can produce unrealistic throughput and capacity values.
This project provides users a free simulation and planning tool that can be used to more accurately estimate throughput at CRCs based on site specific resources and requirements. This tool incorporates timing data for various CRC processes that were collected at full scale CRC exercises across the country providing a more empirical estimate of throughput capacity. This presentation will provide an overview of the findings from timing data collection as well as a preview of the tool development, capabilities and user interface.
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WPM-C.2
14:45 Efficient Contamination Screening at Community Reception Centers in Response to a Radiological Dispersal Event P Goldhagen*, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory
; G Klemic, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory; S Link, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory; A Chen, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory; C Schopfer, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory; G Schumock, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory; L Schaefer, DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory; R Schlueck, Fire Department of the City of New York; T Rice, Fire Department of the City of New York
Abstract: Radiological emergency response plans for New York City include the use of multiple Community Reception Centers (CRCs) for mass population screenings and, if necessary, decontamination, to address public concerns about radioactive contamination. The purpose of a CRC is to find those who are contaminated and to allay concerns of those who are not. Efficient throughput is critical to both. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) partnered with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) to develop effective and efficient contamination screening procedures using multiple pedestrian radiation portal monitors and personal radiation detectors (PRDs). FDNY was particularly interested in CRC design for response to a radiological dispersal device. NUSTL conducted laboratory and operational testing and radiation transport calculations to determine optimal portal separation distances, PRD prescreening locations, and procedures to minimize false alarms and maximize throughput to increase operational capabilities for the FDNY and the City of New York. It was found that effective prescreening is crucial to designing the layout of the pedestrian radiation portal monitors to avoid misattributed alarms, and methods for two stages of prescreening were developed and tested. Simulations using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP6) radiation transport code were performed to calculate the minimum distances between the unscreened public, the prescreening stations and the pedestrian radiation portal monitors in the CRC to avoid misattributed alarms, depending on the possible contamination activity on people and the potential presence of medical patients treated with radionuclides. This presentation will discuss the methods and results of NUSTL's studies.
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WPM-C.3
15:00 Cesium Irradiators - Replacement and Removal: Lessons Learned J Rasmituth*, Emory University
Abstract: The deployment of a radiological dispersal device (RDD) in a major metropolis has potentially severe economic and psychological ramifications. Between contamination mitigation and public panic, an RDD could easily overwhelm any city's resources and its citizens. It is the responsibility of the radiation safety community to make every possible effort to deter the possibility of this type of event by properly disposing of any unnecessary or disused radioactive materials. Emory University has led the initiative in Atlanta to eliminate these unnecessary sources by replacing cesium, gamma-irradiators with alternative technologies. This project not only eliminates future security risks for Emory, but it also translates into long-term overall cost savings to Emory University.
In this presentation, Emory University details some of the highlights, lowlights, and lessons learned through the course of completing this project. It was with the support from nonpartisan and academic organizations along with government agencies, that Emory was able to successfully eliminate its research and healthcare cesium, gamma-irradiators.
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WPM-C.4
15:15 Radiological Dispersal Device Simulations Help Responders Save Lives RW Chen, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
; BR Buddemeier*, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Abstract: In an effort to educate first responders about the challenges and risks of responding to a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) detonation in an urban environment, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has recently developed a simulator called RDD Studio. RDD Studio is designed to simulate the dispersal of ballistic source fragments of various sizes and to visualize the resulting ground contamination from smoke. This tool uses empirical data collected from real-world explosive tests and a computational fluid dynamic atmospheric dispersion model to define the complexity of the resulting post-blast radiologically contaminated urban environment. After the RDD is simulated and the radiological hazards are established, RDD Studio deploys virtual responders to demonstrate the 10 tactics provided in the Department of Homeland Security’s RDD Response Guidance; Planning for the First 100 Minutes (2017). This interactive agent-based modeling simulator’s ability to track and record virtual responder’s performance statistics and exposure data makes it an effective tool for response training and procedure development.
The use of a highly customizable software simulator provides the capability to evaluate response tactics and outcomes in a variety of circumstances. Users can test procedures against various source types, activity level, number of fragments, fragment sizes, number of casualties, number of civilians nearby, number of response assets deployed, and responder arrival frequency. RDD Studio dynamically tracks every virtual civilian and responder’s exposure from the ballistic source fragments and ground contamination as they travel through the environment and perform key response activities. These activities include event recognition, life-saving, hot zone control, environmental monitoring, evacuation, and population monitoring. RDD Studio, as a simulator for calculating responder exposure and a tool for producing video demonstrations of response tactics, has effectively helped the first responder community understand how to safely save lives after the detonation of an RDD.
This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.
LLNL-ABS-769050
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WPM-C.5
15:30 Assessing RadTriage Colorimetric Dosimeter Response to Low-Dose Gamma-Ray Exposure LE Rand*, Georgetown University
Abstract: RadTriage colorimetric dosimeter cards are low cost, easy to read, and rapidly indicating dosimeters, and thus offer an ideal instrument for emergency responders. However, there is a lack of research on how RadTriage cards quantify low doses of ionizing radiation (less than 50mSv). Furthermore, there is limited research on their application to be read post-exposure, and how this reading can be quantified and fit with a dose response function. In this research we use digital scanning methods, previously studied and applied to colorimetric dosimeter use in the medical field and standardized by AAPM recommendations, to read the RadTriage cards. Tests were initially performed to verify the responsiveness of RadTriage cards across the manufacturer's specified range, 50mSv to 2000mSv. Tests were also performed at doses below the manufacture's specified range to determine if using digital scanning densitometry would allow for an increase in dose range. Finally, tests were conducted with different gamma energies, using Cs-137 (662 keV) and Co-60 (1.17 and 1.33 MeV), and dose rates to determine the impact of these variables on the card's response.
We found that the RadTriage card dose response fits a polynomial function with a high correlation (R2=.985). Our results also found statistically different responses for cards that received the same dose using exposures with different gamma energies and dose rates, suggesting that changes in these exposure characteristics can impact the RadTriage card dose response. The RadTriage response was also compared to TLD response. The results from this comparison suggest that both types of dosimeters had strengths and weaknesses. RadTriage cards are able to be handed off rapidly without pre-testing, they allow for real-time indication of doses above a threshold, they are inexpensive, and they can be read visually and by digital scanners. However, more work is needed to determine the energy and dose-rate effects on the card’s dose response.
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