LNT, plane crashes, and radiation

["Brian Rees" <brees@lanl.gov>]

David Lee wrote (in part):

"...What do we as RADSAFERS conclude that the Airline Industry is doing
"right" that the Nuclear Industry seemingly is doing "wrong" from the
standpoint of maintaining the trust and confidence of John & Jane Doe?..."

First of all, there's the "choice" issue, i.e. people choose to buy a 
ticket and fly, the perception by the public is that there is no awareness, 
(can't see, taste, etc.) therefore no choice regarding the ingestion of 
radioactive material. 

Secondly, as Sheppard (I think) wrote (and I paraphrase), "the industry" 
(nuclear) has not always been as forthright as "they" could have been. It's 
kinda hard in a plane crash to not admit that the plane DID crash.

Thirdly, the public (as a whole) is not well educated in radiation topics.  
And I believe that EVERY time we mention a release, dose, contamination, 
etc., that we should release units, and a benchmark, so that all aspects of 
the public can (hopefully) become educated and/or aware of what we TRY and 
say.  How many times have members of Radsafe been asked by a "public" 
(friend, neighbor, etc.) how bad was.....? and we not be able to 
intelligently reply because we didn't know the particulars?

Finally, it does us no good to debate what levels we should control/be 
concerned at, unless (most) all people understand risk (and lack of risk), 
they'll be concerned about things that they can't "control" that add risk. 
And yes, I know that one of the fatalities in Miami was person on the 
ground.  

Brian Rees
brees@lanl.gov