Skip Navigation

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Navigation to Home, Contact Us, Site Map, About REMM
Radiation Event Medical Management (REMM)
REMM Banner
Search REMM Web Site
What Kind of Emergency? Initial Event Activities Patient Management Algorithms Management Modifiers Tools & Guidelines

REMM Home Contact Us Site Map About REMM
 

You are here: Home > Identify Types of Radiation Event > Text Version


Identify Types of Radiation Event (Text Version)

  Obvious in Real Time Not Obvious in Real Time
  Nuclear Explosion:
Weapon or Improvised Nuclear Device
Nuclear Accident
at Reactor
Nuclear Accident
Medical Facility,
Transportation,
Industrial Facility
RDD:
Explosive Device
RDD:
Contamination of soil/air/water/food supply
RED:
Hidden Radioactive Source
How will it be discovered? Evidence from environmental and/or population observation
  • Observation of characteristics of nuclear explosion: cloud shape, blast, flash, etc
  • Evidence of sabotage or accident
  • Routine facility monitoring
  • Explosion internally or externally
  • Evidence of sabotage or accident
  • Routine facility monitoring
  • Police/Hazmat investigation of explosion detects radiation
  • Routine monitoring of concentration of radioactive materials in soil, air, water or food supply
  • Epidemiological surveillance of a population
  • Public health reports leading to a pattern of similar suspicious illnesses
  • Environmental detectors locate hidden sources outside of expected places, e.g. subway, sports field
  • Public health reports of a pattern of similar suspicious illnesses
  • Unexplained changes in blood counts among people sharing history of being in one (or more) geographic place(s)
Evidence from individual clinical observation
  • Onset of Acute Radiation Illness (Prodrome)
  • Occupational worker surveillance as part of facility procedures, badge detection
  • Acute medical trauma or illness
  • Occupational worker surveillance as part of facility procedures, badge detection
  • Acute medical trauma or illness
  • Contamination will be considered for all persons in proximity to event identified as a dirty bomb
  • Radiation exposure effects will be sought among the affected victims
  • Unexplained illnesses
  • Positive Radiation Survey reading in individuals or their body fluids
  • Unexplained dermatologic condition consistent with radiation burn or radiation dermatitis due to proximity to the radiation source
  • Unexplained drop in blood counts from prolonged exposure
  • Onset of Acute Radiation Syndrome (Prodrome)
What kind of radiation effect?

 

 

  • Contamination (external and possibly internal)
  • Radioactive shrapnel
  • Possible exposure
    More...

top of page


US Department of Health & Human Services     
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response National Library of Medicine