National Radiological Emergency Preparedness: EPA Updates March 29, 2010 Presented by: Ron Fraass, Director NAREL
EPA’s Emergency Response Program Protect the public and the environment from immediate threats posed by the release or discharge of hazardous substance and oil spills. On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) EPA Special Teams State and Local Responders
Special Teams Environmental Response Team National Counter-terrorism Evidence Response Team National Decontamination Team Radiological Emergency Response Team Multiple Exercises/Training Events One Call Reaches All Call the one you know or use: National Response Center at or
ERT – Las Vegas, Edison, Erlanger/Cincinnati, RTP RERT – Las Vegas, Montgomery, DC NDT – Erlanger, Edison, Cincinnati, Kansas City, RTP, DC NCERT – Denver, DC, Brunswick
Environmental Response Team (ERT) Mission: Support the nation’s response, cleanup and renewal of its contaminated land, water and air. Focus: “classic environmental” emergencies and more… Characterization Sampling / monitoring Hazard evaluation Risk Assessment Health & Safety Decon / disposal
National Counterterrorism Evidence Response Team (NCERT) Established in 2001 MISSION – To provide specialized law enforcement management of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents Focus : provide special agents for crime scene forensics and evidence collection in contaminated zones RNC 2004 NYC AMERITHRAX DC I RICIN INCIDENT DC
National Decontamination Team (NDT) Mission – to provide on-site scientific and technical expertise in response to incidences of national significance involving environmental contamination and acts of terrorism related to weapons of mass destruction. Focus: WMD agents Buildings, infrastructure, indoor environments, agriculture, environmental media Sampling Health and Safety Decontamination Waste Disposal Nature and extent of contamination
Radiological Emergency Response Team (RERT) Mission - leads or assists federal, state, tribal, and local response efforts before, during, and following a radiological incident Focus: Radiation monitoring & evaluation – Sampling / Monitoring, Lab analysis, – Hazard evaluation, Characterization, – Clean-up Decontamination, Risk Assessment, Waste disposal
Additions to Assets Improved Sample Preparation Trailer and MERL at Montgomery (NAREL/RERT) Major Sample Preparation Trailer--Las Vegas Replacing MERL trailer--Las Vegas Mobile Gamma Exposure/GPS Scanning System Updated ASPECT aircraft PHILIS units for CWA and Toxic Chemicals Completed Training for Radiation Task Force Leaders and additional Response Support Corps members 8
Laboratory Improvements Program to review commercial laboratory capacity and capabilities Training for Laboratory Technicians Training on MARLAP/MARSIM Newly developed rapid analysis procedures Documents for triage and sampling of water published, air sampling & method validation ready Pilot Program of 4 Cooperative Agreements to increase state radiation lab capacity/capability 9
National Monitoring 118 upgraded RadNet air monitoring sites 40 deployable RadNet monitors Continuing milk, rain-water, and water monitoring Envirofacts for historical RadNet laboratory data CDX ( for current hourly RadNet air data 10
Contact Information Ron Fraass Office: Cell:
PHILIS Mobile Laboratories On-site analysis of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and TICs using EPA (SAM) methods and state of the art instrumentation: GC/MS, LC/MS-MS, TOF-GC/MS 3 locations across the United States (NJ, KY, CO) 4-days of operations before refueling/restocking required Training platform for the EPA’s evolving Laboratory Response Corps “Dual-Use” deployment of both Superfund and INS Will be part of the EPA’s Environmental Response Laboratory Network
ASPECT Airborne or Ground Chem & Rad Monitoring Airborne or vehicle (rad only) monitoring of chemicals and radioisotopes via Aero Commander 680 FL aircraft platform or other ground vehicle Time aloft: 4-6 hrs/ Range: 1,100 nautical miles Standoff monitoring for plumes via state of the art high speed FTIR spectrometer Thermal mapping via IR Line Scanner Aerial digital photography capabilities Radiation surveys via Gamma spectrometer All data sets geo-spatially referenced (GPS) Near real-time down load of data to Incident command