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Homeland Defense Equipment Reuse (HDER) Program
The Homeland Defense Equipment (HDER) Program is a unique partnership
between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Grants & Training,
the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Navy and the Health Physics
Society. The goal of the HDER Program is to provide surplus
radiological detection instrumentation and other
equipment, as well as training and long-term technical support, to
emergency responder agencies to enhance their homeland security preparedness
capabilities.
The program was expanded nationwide on June 1, 2003.
Through the HDER program, responder agencies across the nation now have access to a substantial inventory of radiological detection instrumentation and other equipment that is no longer required by the Federal government. This equipment is rehabilitated and provided at no cost to the recipient.
Training on the use of the equipment is available to the emergency responders
through G&T’s Domestic Preparedness Equipment Technical Assistance Program
(DPETAP). This program assists responders in the proper operation
and maintenance of their radiological, chemical, and biological
detection and response equipment
by providing detailed technical information and hands-on equipment
operation and maintenance training.
Local support for the equipment is also available through a partnership with the Health Physics Society (HPS). Volunteers from local HPS chapters will be available to perform initial operability checks on equipment shipments, conduct field checks and basic maintenance for the equipment, provide hands-on refresher training if required and serve as a local source of expertise for questions regarding the instrumentation.
The following Fact Sheet contains additional information on the program. (PDF)
Related Programs and Links
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) conducts a unique government program dealing with excess and unwanted radioactive material. The Offsite Source Recovery (OSR) Program recovers excess and unwanted radioactive sealed sources to reduce or eliminate the risk these sources pose to homeland security by their possible use in a radiological dispersal device. The OSR Program reduces this risk by removing excess and unwanted sealed sources from the licensed sector, and either disposing of them or placing them in storage at secure DOE facilities. Program activities emphasize threat reduction related to radioactive material lacking other disposition paths. Program priorities are established in consultation with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Additional information on the program may be obtained through the Internet by visiting the following URLs:
NNSA website
LANL website, excess sealed source registry page
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