Operational and Management Aspects of Peripheral Radiological Countermeasures

摘要

The operational constraints and management problems associated with the planning and implementation of peripheral radiological countermeasures were investigated. The four peripheral countermeasures studied (postattack evacuation, applied shielding, dose equalization - including group shielding - and exposure scheduling) can be useful to the local civil defense organization in providing a significant degree of control over radiation exposure in the early postattack period, and their use may result in a reduction of dose to personnel and/or a decrease in the time till emergence from shelter is possible. Moreover, the flexibility in scheduling made possible by the use of peripheral countermeasures can increase the scope of lifesaving activities and permit earlier initiation of the recovery phase. The major management constraint on the use of peripheral countermeasures concerns the rapidity with which decisions can be reached so that action can be initiated. It was concluded that the degree of preattack planning deemed necessary for peripheral countermeasures can be integrated into the present civil defense organization with relatively minor difficulty, resulting in an appreciable payoff in postattack capabilities.