Gaps & Useful PracticesLos Angeles County

Multi-Agency Radiological Response Plan (MARRP)

Kathleen KaufmanKathleen KaufmanFormer Director,Former Director,

LA County Radiation ManagementLA County Radiation Management

Gaps• LA County has significant resources

– Many are HazMat qualified– Generally, they’re more qualified for chemical issues,

rather than radiation• During exercises, there was confusion re which

agency was responsible for an activity– Those with radiation expertise were all performing one

activity, such as monitoring uninjured victims, leaving another activity w/o someone with radiation subject matter expertise

– Incident commander and the media received conflicting information

Gap• Every agency and organization has their own

radiation response plan (fully or not fully developed)

• One “umbrella” plan would reduce responder confusion

• Avoid duplication of response efforts

• Eliminate gaps in response efforts

Gaps

• A more organized & effective response required clarification of the roles & responsibilities of response agencies

• Radiation Management had a “vision” for a plan that integrated responders’ activities, & clarified each agency’s role

• We received a grant from CDC to write an integrated radiation response plan– We hired a contractor to help

Process• Had to have a name with a good acronym!

– Multi-Agency Radiation Response Plan (MARRP)

• We conducted three planning committee meetings with all agencies, local, State, & federal, participating– Purpose, Objectives, Concept of Operations– Scope of Radiological Incidents– Role and Responsibilities– Radiological Dispersal Device Table-Top Exercise– Review of proposed Draft Plan

• Also conducted focused meetings– Los Angeles County Fire Department, Health Hazardous Materials

Division– American Red Cross & Los Angeles County Department of Public Social

Services

Who?• 30 local, State, and federal agencies and organizations

– Los Angeles County (LACo) Department of Public Health, LACO Fire & Health Hazardous Materials Division, LACo Coroner, LACo Department of Public Social Services, LACo Sheriff, Los Angeles (LA) City Fire & Police, LA Airport, LA Port, Long Beach Fire, Police & Port, California (CA) Department of Public Health, CA Office of Emergency Services, CA Highway Patrol, United States Environmental Protection Agency & Department of Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Civil Support Team, Federal Bureau of Investigations, United States Coast Guard, American Red Cross

• 100 technical representatives experienced in emergency operations

What?• Coordination plan for a significant radiological (not

nuclear) incident

• Coordination of response actions between local, State, and federal agencies

• Does not replace, but supplements, existing plans!

• Provides guidance to responders and decision makers during an incident

Guidance Plan

• MARRP is not the law or regulation• MARRP is not a mandatory plan for

responding agencies/organizations• MARRP is guidance with recommendations

– Volume I is a responder’s field manual– Volume II is more in-depth

• Good for training

Volume I: Responder Field Manual

• Information Cards (3)• Summary Tables (2)• Position Job Aids (7)• Activity Playbooks (13)Activity Playbooks (13)• Standard Operating Guides (2)• Instructions (3)• Forms (3)• Tables (15)

Forms and Tables

• Forms– 1. Contamination Survey– 2. Public Property Contamination Survey– 3. Responder Dose Log

• 15 Tables– Table 4: Radiation Incident Zones and Activities– Table 11: Responder Contamination Release LevelsTable 11: Responder Contamination Release Levels– Table 13: Victim and Public Contamination Release Levels– Others included in the manual

Table 1: Agencies Responsible for Playbooks

Activity PlaybookActivity Playbook Rad Rad MgmtMgmt

Fire Fire HazmatHazmat FireFire Law Law

HazmatHazmat EPAEPA

1: Exclusion Zone Operations1: Exclusion Zone Operations NLNL 11 22 NLNL NLNL

2: Initial Incident Control Zones2: Initial Incident Control Zones 11 22 NLNL 33 44

3: Monitoring Responders and Equipment for 3: Monitoring Responders and Equipment for ContaminationContamination 11 22 33 66 44

4: Monitoring Injured Victims for 4: Monitoring Injured Victims for ContaminationContamination 11 22 33 NLNL 44

5: Monitoring Uninjured Victims for 5: Monitoring Uninjured Victims for ContaminationContamination 11 22 33 NLNL 44

Playbooks• 13 playbooks for major radiological related activities

• Designed as stand alone documents

• Content– Activity– Resources– What to do– Considerations– Tables– Standard Operating Guides– Instructions– Forms

13 Playbooks

1. Exclusion zone operations2. Initial incident control zones3.3. Monitor responders and equipment for Monitor responders and equipment for

contaminationcontamination4. Monitor injured victims for contamination5. Monitor uninjured victims for contamination6. Conduct advanced radiation measurements7.7. Determine presence or absence of alpha radiationDetermine presence or absence of alpha radiation

13 Playbooks8.8. Conduct crime scene investigations in the Conduct crime scene investigations in the

Exclusion Zone and Extreme Caution AreasExclusion Zone and Extreme Caution Areas9. Monitor people for contamination at public

reception centers10. Monitor public property for contamination11. Determine need for and recommend protective

actions for the public, including advice for evacuation and shelter-in-place

12.12. Control traffic in contaminated areas, create Control traffic in contaminated areas, create responder access corridors, and establish responder access corridors, and establish evacuation routesevacuation routes

13.13. Conduct critical hospital-based operationsConduct critical hospital-based operations

Table 6: Dose & Potential Health Effects

• Provides the potential health effects of exposure to levels of radiation

• Dose to have acute health effects

• Excess lifetime risk of fatal cancer correlated with radiation exposure

Table 7: Responder Alarm Levels

Alarm LevelAlarm LevelExposure RateExposure Rate11

(mR/hr)(mR/hr)Cumulative DoseCumulative Dose22

(mrem)(mrem)

First AlarmFirst Alarm 22 1010

Second AlarmSecond Alarm10,00010,000

(10 R/hr)(10 R/hr)25,00025,000

(25 rem)(25 rem)

Tables 11 & 12: Responder/Equipment Contamination Release Levels

• Provides contamination levels at which Provides contamination levels at which responders/equipment can be releasedresponders/equipment can be released

• Includes the maximum background radiation Includes the maximum background radiation level in which the measurement must be level in which the measurement must be takentaken

• Provides decontamination instructionsProvides decontamination instructions

Table 12: Responder Equipment Table 12: Responder Equipment Contamination Release LevelsContamination Release Levels

Radiation TypeRadiation Type Contamination Range Contamination Range 1,21,2 Maximum Background Maximum Background Levels Levels

Decontamination InstructionsDecontamination Instructions

Beta Beta 3 3 oror 100 cpm to 10,000 cpm 100 cpm to 10,000 cpm 44 or orLevel 1 Level 1

≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit Decontaminate to lowest level practicable using routine field Decontaminate to lowest level practicable using routine field decontamination methods (wiping and washing) and release decontamination methods (wiping and washing) and release without restriction. without restriction.

Gamma Gamma 33 10 10 µµR/hr to 100 R/hr to 100 µµR/hr R/hr 55

(0.01 mR/hr to 0.1 mR/hr) (0.01 mR/hr to 0.1 mR/hr)

Level 1 Level 1 ≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit

Decontaminate to lowest level practicable using routine field Decontaminate to lowest level practicable using routine field decontamination methods (wiping and washing) and release decontamination methods (wiping and washing) and release without restriction. without restriction.

Alpha Alpha 33 1 cpm to 1,000 cpm 1 cpm to 1,000 cpm 66

Level 1 Level 1 ≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit

Decontaminate to lowest level practicable using routine field Decontaminate to lowest level practicable using routine field decontamination methods (wiping and washing) and release decontamination methods (wiping and washing) and release without restriction. without restriction.

Beta Beta 33 or or 10,000 cpm to 100,000 cpm 10,000 cpm to 100,000 cpm 44 or orLevel 2 Level 2

≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit

Control large items, bag smaller items, and retain until Control large items, bag smaller items, and retain until evaluated by a Radiation Technical Specialist. Items returning evaluated by a Radiation Technical Specialist. Items returning to contaminated areas, including ambulances, may be reused to contaminated areas, including ambulances, may be reused during the incident with these contamination levelsduring the incident with these contamination levels

Gamma Gamma 33 100 100 µµR/hr to 1,000 R/hr to 1,000 µµR/hr R/hr 55

(0.1 mR/hr to 1 mR/hr)(0.1 mR/hr to 1 mR/hr)

Level 2 Level 2 ≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit

Control large items, bag smaller items, and retain until Control large items, bag smaller items, and retain until evaluated by a Radiation Technical Specialist. Items returning evaluated by a Radiation Technical Specialist. Items returning to contaminated areas, including ambulances, may be reused to contaminated areas, including ambulances, may be reused during the incident with these contamination levelsduring the incident with these contamination levels

Alpha Alpha 33 1,000 cpm to 10,000 cpm 1,000 cpm to 10,000 cpm 66

Level 2 Level 2 ≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit

Control large items, bag smaller items, and retain until Control large items, bag smaller items, and retain until evaluated by a Radiation Technical Specialist. Items returning evaluated by a Radiation Technical Specialist. Items returning to contaminated areas, including ambulances, may be reused to contaminated areas, including ambulances, may be reused during the incident with these contamination levelsduring the incident with these contamination levels

Beta Beta 33 or or 100,000 cpm and Greater 100,000 cpm and Greater 44 or orLevel 3 Level 3

≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit Do not reuse or release. Contact a Radiation Technical Do not reuse or release. Contact a Radiation Technical Specialist for determination of disposition. Specialist for determination of disposition. 99

Gamma Gamma 33 1,000 1,000 µµR/hr or Greater R/hr or Greater 55

(1 mR/hr or Greater)(1 mR/hr or Greater)Level 3 Level 3

≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit Do not reuse or release. Contact a Radiation Technical Do not reuse or release. Contact a Radiation Technical Specialist for determination of disposition. Specialist for determination of disposition. 99

Alpha Alpha 33 10,000 cpm and Greater 10,000 cpm and Greater 66 Level 3 Level 3 ≤≤10 % of Release Limit 10 % of Release Limit

Do not reuse or release. Contact a Radiation Technical Do not reuse or release. Contact a Radiation Technical Specialist for determination of disposition. Specialist for determination of disposition. 99

Table 12: Responder Equipment Contamination Table 12: Responder Equipment Contamination Release Levels, continuedRelease Levels, continued

Attachment 6: Reception CenterAttachment 6: Reception CenterFlow DiagramsFlow Diagrams

Thank you!