Radiological Assistance Program

Survey equipment is used to detect and measure radiation.
Click on image to view larger image.

The Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) team at Argonne can provide assistance in the event of a radiological accident or incident. Support ranges from giving technical information or advice over the telephone, to sending highly trained team members and state-of-the-art equipment to the accident site to help identify and minimize any radiological hazards. The primary responsibility for the incident remains with the owner of the radioactive material. An emergency request for the RAP may come from any government or private organization.

The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy's Region 5 RAP, as the U.S. Government's first-response resource in assessing an emergency situation, is to advise decision-makers on further steps to take to minimize the hazards of a radiological or nuclear incident and to provide first-response radiological assistance to protect the health and safety of the general public and the environment. RAP assists federal, state, tribal, and local agencies in the detection, identification, analysis, and response to events involving the release of radiological materials in the environment.

Region 5 RAP team's area of responsibility includes the ten midwestern states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

Upon direction from DOE-NNSA Headquarters, the RAP team will deploy to the location and arrive within six hours of activation to the farthest point in its region.

RAP team members are trained in the hazards of radiation and radioactive materials to provide initial assistance to minimize immediate radiation risks to people, property and the environment.
Click on image to view larger image.

RAP personnel will:

• Locate and identify radiological materials;
• Evaluate data and provide risk assessments;
• Provide advice and make recommendations to protect personnel, property, and subsequent reentry into a facility;
• Translate complex technical data into information that the public can easily understand; and
• Provide 24-hour communications for technical support and advice.
  

Last Modified: Tue, June 19, 2012 9:52 AM