[ RadSafe ] Radiation scare tactics

[Jean-Francois, Stephane]

 I may understand the issue on this topic but it is our job to validate the info first with our local first responders. Ask them How they would react in such and such scenarios.

I did train our in-house response team and I did train outside responders as well. They don't look to me as people who would wait before saving lives. But they have a safety protocol to respect and I did not see emotional issues with radiations. 

If you talk about medics, there reaction is expected as in my medical first responder training, it is our life first that we need to protect. That is the key message. Therefore, I would doubt that a medic would enter a burning building and not a potential contamination scenario. They are likely to wait for someone in a position of authority (and knowledge) before acting in any of these two scenarios.

So what Sandy have higlighted is more soemthing that I have observed myself. Some responders are well-informed and trained, others are not and I hate to break it to you, a few hundred millicuries of radioactive material may not excite trained individuals who are used to deal with a full tanker of propane on fire, quite the opposite...

Somehow, I can't stop thinking that perhaps we are also responsible of this mess, according more importance to HAZMAT procedures with radioactive materials then regular HAZMAT, to the point that one firefighter once asked me what to wear if a truck, containing radioactive material was on fire...Can you imagine Tyvek level A suit in a 300 degrees environment ? But what he saw was the radioactivity only. Is this selective tunnel vision ?

My two cents.

Stéphane Jean-François 
_____________________________________________________________________________ 
Stéphane Jean-François, Eng., M. Env., CHP. | Manager, Environment and Health Physics 
Safety and Environment | Global Compliance Division
Merck in Canada | 16711 TransCanada Hwy. | Kirkland, QC, Canada H9H 3L1 
Office: #9-2-448 | P: 514-428-8695 | f:  514-428-8670 | 
stephane_jeanfrancois at merck.com 





-----Message d'origine-----
De : radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] De la part de Clayton J Bradt
Envoyé : 29 avril 2010 14:04
À : JOHN.RICH at sargentlundy.com; radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Objet : Re: [ RadSafe ] Radiation scare tactics




John Rich wrote:

   Radsafers

   with all the discussion on the new "reveal all" book about Chernobyl, it's
   worth considering an unintended consequence of the radiation "scare
   messages" that was discussed at a meeting of the Midwest HP chapter.
   (Something that hadn't occurred to me, but thankfully others are aware of
   it and are trying to come up with working strategies.)

    As a result of the MSM continually shouting about how lethal, deadly,
   etc, ANY radiation is - -  first responders, hospitals, and even some
   doctors will not commit to being available to treat people in the event of
   an improvised radiological dispersion device.   I don't have any
   specifics, but it turns out that at least a few hospitals are thinking
   about refusing to let contaminated individuals into their emergency rooms,
   and what's even more discouraging is that first responders are equally
   hesitant about dealing with radiation contamination.  (The discussions
   indicated that they'd enter a burning building, but not if it had
   radiation contamination.)

   It sounds like the NCRP and ICRP need to get a document out from a
   "trusted source" that puts contamination into perspective.  In the
   meantime, is there something that the HPS can do officially, again as a
   "trusted source?"

   I've started talking to friends, neighbors, etc to get a message out
   there, but haven't started sending letters to the editor yet.  If the HPS
   could come up with some good words, I'd be more than happy to spread them
   around.

   Disclaimer, - -these are not the thoughts, positions, or opinions of my
   company or management.  I guess that's why they're so clear and well
   reasoned.  ;-)
    ___________
   enough  - -jmr
**************************************************

The problem is that there are no trusted sources anymore.


Clayton J. Bradt
dutchbradt at hughes.net

"The US will always do the right thing after it has exhausted all other
possibilities."    - Winston Churchill
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential or sensitive information which is, or may be, legally privileged or otherwise protected by law from further disclosure. It is intended only for the addressee. If you received this in error or from someone who was not authorized to send it to you, please do not distribute, copy or use it or any attachments. Please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. 

_______________________________________________
You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list

Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the RadSafe rules. These can be found at: http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html

For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu
Notice:  This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains
information of Merck & Co., Inc. (One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station,
New Jersey, USA 08889), and/or its affiliates Direct contact information
for affiliates is available at 
http://www.merck.com/contact/contacts.html) that may be confidential,
proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged. It is intended solely
for the use of the individual or entity named on this message. If you are
not the intended recipient, and have received this message in error,
please notify us immediately by reply e-mail and then delete it from 
your system.