CBRN first responder

training for radiation

case study
 Training for radiation
Ensuring that the UK is prepared to detect, prevent and respond with speed and certainty
to major emergencies, including terrorist attacks, has become of the highest importance.
Recent events have prompted the British and devolved Welsh Governments to review
and improve on the UK’s combined ability to respond to increased and emerging
risks. This involved a reappraisal of the response capacity and capabilities of the UK’s
emergency services.

t This image shows how the simulated beta probe

returns simulated counts per second readings. Here the
instructor took advantage of surroundings and added
‘safe simulant’, which fluoresces and provides a reading.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service provides public safety information and
prevention and protection programmes as well as emergency response cover for Mid and
West Wales. We employ over 1,400 members of staff across 58 fire stations and associated
support functions. The Service covers around 11,700 sq km (4,500 sq miles) – almost two
thirds of the land mass of Wales.

The events of 9/11 led to a transformation in the way that UK emergency services and
agencies respond to large-scale emergencies. New structures and practices ensure the
UK’s resilience on every level against disruptive challenges through working with other
stakeholders to anticipate, assess, prevent, prepare, respond, and recover. This is achieved
through effective partnership engagement with key organisations and across regions. A
well-equipped, well-trained and well-motivated Fire and Rescue Service is essential to the
success of delivering resilience in England and Wales.

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 How do we train for radiation incidents?
Risk assessments have been undertaken to accommodate all possible scenarios that could
warrant the need for a multi-agency emergency response. These assessments identified a
key problem area in delivering effective training. For the vast majority of incidents the Fire
Service responds to it is possible to replicate the risk in a controlled environment, allowing
measured exposure to the risk and for crews to mitigate the risk, and resolve the incident
safely. So how do we train for radiation incidents?

Irrespective of the cause of the potential radiation, be it from a CBRN event or industrial
accident, crews have immediate access to two key pieces of equipment in order to maintain
their safety – and to identify the nature and extent of the risk: namely, the RADOS RDS-200
Universal Survey Meter and the Thermo Scientific Electronic Personal Dosimeter Mk2.

Crews are familiar with the operation of this equipment due to standard testing of equipment
and traditional simulation training, but there was a gap in our preparedness. Whenever we
exercised the instruments they would register background radiation, which is thankfully
practically zero – exactly how we want things to be – but lacking authenticity for practical
training. The only way to practically train the crews involved was getting them ‘on scene’ to
calculate expected dose rates at given distances from a known source. Crews then deployed
and simulated the monitoring of readings on both survey meter and personal dosimeters,
with an instructor providing ‘exercise values’ as they completed the task.

This training was critically flawed in so much as while crews practice their procedures, they
rely on someone else to give them the key information to make their decisions – and learn not
to rely on their instrumentation as it will never change values. So, Mid and West Wales Fire and
Rescue Service has purchased equipment from Argon Electronics to address this flaw.

q The dosimeter display shows 1 mSv.

Lifelike training returns simulation values
based upon strength of safe simulator source
and wearer skill (Time, Distance, Shielding).

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 Realistic training
Crews are now able to simulate a whole range of scenarios with live data being displayed
on their instrumentation. Prior to the start of the exercise, directing staff place a harmless
source or contaminant where they wish the ‘radiation’ to be concentrated. Crews are briefed
and respond according to laid-down procedures, and then prior to committing to the risk
area, conduct site surveys using the training equipment.

The key detail is that the training simulators are the identical units the crews will use on a
live incident. These units have been modified to respond to the ‘source’ rather than actual
radiation. The results are spectacular: from the moment the equipment is turned on, the
crews become totally immersed in the ‘reality’ of the exercise. Crews study the survey meter
for readings and learn the importance of sweeping the area in front of them thoroughly at
various heights to obtain a sense of how fast their personal dosimeter reading will increase
at various dose rates. Careful positioning of the source can mimic columnar ionising
radiation, creating differing levels of feedback. Depending on how the RDS-200 is used, this
encourages a full sweeping motion. Crucially all this learning takes place autonomously by
the crews as they complete the exercise.

p Device replicates
background readings:
safe to begin survey.

The crews learn:

• To rely upon the values displayed on their instruments

• The relationship between values displayed on the survey meter and time taken to accrue
dose on their personal dosimeters
• The visible effect of Time, Distance and Shielding on their instrumentation.

It is well known that the most effective method of learning is under Live Incident conditions.
This training provides genuine immersion training as realistic as an incident can be without
the associated hazard. We have observed more effective monitoring techniques, better
retention of information, and familiarity with radiation incident procedures – with crews
trained this way over previous methods with considerably less ‘skill fade’ over time.

We cover a relatively large geographical area and therefore it is unrealistic to bring all our
operational staff to a central location to train. The outreach training that we provide adds to
the realism – as training occurs at a venue local to the crews. The simulation equipment is
simple enough in operation and functionality, so that with minimal training, regional directing
staff can deploy the training in their area. By rotating training areas all crews can be trained
within agreed timeframes.

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 Operational scenarios
We run two main scenarios for our crews:

Scenario one
A strong source is potentially compromised and we have been called to assist. Locally
we use a scenario where a workman becomes unconscious while undertaking pipeline
radiography. Depending on the scenario, it may be possible to recover the casualty first. It
depends on what the instrumentation says is possible.

Crews are required to:

• Place a safe cordon

• Identify and mark a safe path to the source
• Make the source safe (if compromised)
• Identify and mark a safe path to the casualty
• Effect rescues

And to work within agreed safe protocols: We have a created a ‘mock radiation’ source which
mimics the actions required to make industrial field isotopes safe. It’s a bit ‘Heath Robinson’
but it does the job!

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 Operational scenarios
Scenario two
A delivery van has been involved in a road accident and its cargo has become compromised.
A bystander has observed what appears to be a trefoil. Our crews are called on to rescue the
trapped unconscious driver and to stabilise the situation prior to handover for recovery.

Crews have to do everything as in Scenario One, but also:

• Contain the source as well as making it safe

• Ensure that the casualty is safe to transport
• Ensure effective decontamination is undertaken

Scenario Two allows us to use the GMP 11 SIM Beta Probe. This can be used with either
our training RDS 200 or an actual operational unit, enabling us to increase the size of our
scenarios, with equipped crews committed to the scene and decontamination duties.
The major factor with the GMP 11 SIM is that it detects actual powders and liquids
(both harmless) that we can apply to an area or package – then crews can assess the
effectiveness of their safe working and decontamination process in live time.

Crews have been surprised how easy it is to contaminate the probe during use, and have
realised how important it is to follow strict process and have excellent communication when
decontaminating. This experience is priceless and crews visibly exercise differently as a
consequence of this learning.

Scenario Two would easily double as a CBRN incident and could be scaled up if necessary –
with the GMP 11 SIM being used to confirm that mass decontamination has been successful.

q A ‘Heath Robinson’ portable isotope

was created for a one-off exercise – but has
proven to be remarkably robust! Once the crew
simulate operating the mechanical control to
make the isotope safe, the string pulls the safe
source into the box and the readings drop.

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 About Argon Electronics
Argon Electronics was established in 1987 and has since become a world leader in the
development and manufacture of hazardous material detector simulators, most notably
in the fields of military chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense.
Our simulators have applications from civil response to unconventional terrorism and
accidental release, and international treaty verification, with a growing presence in the
nuclear energy generation and education markets.

Contact us
Contact Argon Electronics to discuss any of the information contained within this eBook,
or to discuss your simulation training requirements.

Telephone: +44 (0)1582 491616

Fax +44 (0)1582 492780
USA: 571 210 1258 (7am to 1pm EST)
Email: argon@argonelectronics.com

With appreciation for the contribution by:

Dai Swan

Dai Swan is Head of Response for Pembrokeshire and one of Mid and West Wales Fire
and Rescue Service’s Radiation Protection Supervisors.

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