FEMA Guide for Radiological Dispersal Device Response and Recovery

FEMA has published “The Planning Guidance for Responding to and Recovering from Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Incidents: After the Initial Response,” which provides planners with a framework for the sustained response to and recovery from an RDD incident.

This publication provides a starting point to enable emergency planners, responders, and jurisdictional leaders to identify, prioritize, and implement response and recovery strategies tailored to specific RDD scenarios they may face. The guidance is organized into five strategies, which focus on high-level objectives a jurisdiction should strive to accomplish throughout the response and recovery to an RDD incident. While these strategies may be outside of the purview of water and wastewater utility personnel, Strategy 4: Restore the Environment speaks to actions regarding critical infrastructure. These include gathering information on impacted critical infrastructure, decontaminating critical infrastructure, and more. Other parts of the document may be relevant to water and wastewater utilities in general as well, including about how best to determine and select protective measures, remediation options and incident objectives, as well as a socioeconomically responsible long-term recovery effort. Overall, it is intended to help emergency planners and leaders formulate timely, effective, and equitable decisions in the face of incomplete data and high levels of uncertainty, as is often the case in the early phases of an incident involving radiological materials. Access the guidance at FEMA.