Context and application
In an radiological emergency, the priority of quick response teams is protecting both the public and the personnel directly involved in the incident (either specialist and non-specialist in radiological risk) in order to minimize the health impact upon the exposure to and contamination from ionizing radiations. Upon arrival at the incident location, and despite the suspected or confirmed presence of radioactive materials, they immediately make the initial evaluation of the radiological risk in order to mark the security perimeter necessary to evacuate the public and to close the affected area off. Depending of the event and its seriousness, the emergency services undertake both the research and the characterization of the radioactive sources to split the intervention zone into sectors:
Zone of exclusion, which is the epicenter of the accident, where first responders and specialists hurry to rescue the populations, characterize the radiological source, and limit its effects on health (contamination, irradiation). On the border with the “zone of control”, the victims are gathered to be sorted out and taken care of, depending on the level of severity.
Zone of control, which is used to control and regulate the flows of first responders coming in or leaving the exclusion zone thanks to a dedicated airlock. It helps to avoid the possible transfer of radiological contamination with decontamination chains. This phase of contamination control on victims and emergency response personnel is performed with alpha/beta probes.
Zone of support, which is used as a rear base to coordinate all forces involved, through command posts separated into trades. It enables medical care after the in-depth decontamination of both victims and first responders.
At each of these stages, first responders have to carry out radioactive contamination control in order to reveal the presence of sources around and in the intervention zone. This is why they are equipped with handheld solutions for the detection and the measurement of radioactivity, such as the survey meter SaphyRAD MS developed and manufactured by Bertin Instruments. Used by emergency teams, this multiprobe survey meter allows to perform the initial evaluation of the affected area as well as the control of exposed and/or contaminated persons to limit the impact on health by prioritizing medical care.
