Radiological Terrorism Toolkit

ORISE partners with CDC to develop Radiological Terrorism: A Toolkit for Public Health Officials

Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) distributed more than 400 radiological terrorism toolkits filled with key resources, such as training guidelines, clinical directives, details about radioactive materials, and emergency-response plan essentials.

In 2009, ORISE staff also traveled to Georgia, Texas, and California to train emergency room clinicians and public health professionals through workshops that walked step-by-step through the kit’s contents, from radiation-injury triage procedures and victim screening, to quarantining and population monitoring.

The kit and workshops helped to narrow a significant public health gap, as medical response to radiological casualties is the least understood element in weapons of mass destruction preparedness.

Karl Floyd, CDC Strategic National Stockpile coordinator, expressed his appreciation for the toolkit.

“Thank you for the wonderful and highly informative Radiological Terrorism Tool Kit,” Floyd said. “[ORISE] has made an amazing contribution to the public health profession. This kit will constructively impact all U.S. residents by significantly increasing survivability during a public health disaster.”

ORISE is managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities for the U.S. Department of Energy.