Radiation Dispersion Devices(RDD) Training

Presently, one of the gravest anticipated terrorist threats to the United States, the United Kingdom and European Union countries involves a class of weapons known as radiation dispersal devices (RDDs) or dirty bombs. Dirty bombs use a conventional bomb, such as a car bomb, to disperse radioactive materials in a populated area to cause great economic and social disruption disproportionate to their actual radiological effects and well beyond the physical destruction from their conventional bomb components. A program is underway to greatly reduce the threat of a serious dirty bomb attack by 2010. The severity of the long-term threat of dirty bombs to our national security will depend upon finding alternative matrices for the radioactive sources best suited for use in dirty bombs, e.g., the 137CsCl powder that is a standard material used in industrial irradiators and the rapidly-growing sterilization industry. In addition, first responders must learn to deal with the aftermath should one be successfully detonated. New guidelines from the DHS on exposure levels for police, fire, and EMTs address total dose, e.g., 5 rem, but do not provide guidance on how to implement emergency response activities after an intentional radiological event. We have implemented a first-responder training program at NMSU that is targeted to dirty bombs.