WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) this week is conducting radiation medical management training for handling radiation accidents in Hainan, China. The training, hosted by the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), is being attended by 82 representatives from China’s federal, provincial and local organizations that have a role in radiation medical management.
The training is being taught by representatives from NNSA and the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education’s Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site. The training was opened by Joseph J. Krol, NNSA Associate Administrator for Emergency Operations, and Yao Bin, CAEA Director General for Nuclear Emergency Management. Krol and Bin cited the significance of such training in light of the Fukushima accident in 2011.
“The intent of this training is to prepare participants to be ready to respond to a radiological emergency at any time,” said Krol. “The training builds upon previous international training courses and focuses on what was learned following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant two years ago.”
The course includes hands-on demonstrations requiring trainees to effectively contain radioactive particles while preparing patients for transport to a hospital for medical care. As radiation-based technology finds its way into ever-increasing areas of use, it is important that the medical community is able to appropriately respond to accidents involving ionizing radiation. The training also prepares the medical response community to effectively respond to radiological terrorism.
Krol and Bin agreed to conduct future training courses in China, including courses in consequence management, search and radiological assistance program training for emergency response.
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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; works to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.
