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  2. Radiation Protection

PAG Public Communication Resources

During a radiological or nuclear emergency, clear and consistent messaging is important. The federal government has created several pre-scripted, focus-group tested messages to help emergency response departments, agencies, and individuals communicate radiation information and public safety measures with affected populations.

The tools (or documents) on this page complement one another, and are consistent in phrasing and word-choice. Public Information Officers (PIOs) and emergency response professionals should familiarize themselves with these documents and videos to better serve the public during any radiological or nuclear emergency.

On this page:

  • Protective Action Guide (PAG) Manual Companion Documents
    • Protective Action Area Map Templates
    • Protective Action Questions and Answers for Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies
  • Communicating Radiation Risks
  • Communication Resources from Other Agencies
  • Audience Research

Protective Action Guide (PAG) Manual Companion Documents

These companion documents to the EPA’s Protective Action Guide (PAG) Manual will help emergency responders prepare public communication materials prior to and during a radiological emergency. These communication materials are based on the safety measures in the PAG Manual, and are designed to be used in all types of radiological emergencies. Links to the PDF documents listed below can be found at the bottom of the page.

Protective Action Area Maps Templates 2

Protective Action Area Map Templates

Protective Action Area Map Templates (WORD) (docx) (15.26 MB, September 2017, EPA-420/K-17/003)

Templates for state, local, and tribal governments that need to provide evacuation, go inside, food, and/or drinking water guidance quickly to a population in a specific geographical area.


Protective Actions Q&As cover

Protective Action Questions & Answers for Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies: A companion document to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Protection Action Guide (PAG) Manual

Protective Action Questions & Answers for Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies: A companion document to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Protection Action Guide (PAG) Manual (pdf) (12.21 MB, September 2023, EPA-402/F-23/001)
Pre-scripted radiation emergency public safety messages intended to help emergency planners prepare public communications prior to and during a radiological emergency.


Communicating Radiation Risks cover

Communicating Radiation Risks: Crisis Communications for Emergency Responders

Communicating Radiation Risks: Crisis Communications for Emergency Responders (pdf) (2.5 MB, September 2023, EPA-402-K-23-001)

Guidance on communications techniques based on proven risk and crisis communication strategies as well as radiological scenarios and messages for use in radiological emergencies.

Communication Resources from Other Agencies

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA’s Nuclear Detonation Preparedness: Communicating in the Immediate Aftermath (Second Edition)

This guide contains pre-scripted messages and resources that support the quick provision of safety instructions in the immediate aftermath of a nuclear detonation.

FEMA's Communicating During and After a Nuclear Power Plant Incident

This document provides pre-approved questions and answers to anticipated questions from the public and the media for an incident at a nuclear power plant.

Ready.gov Be Informed: Nuclear Explosion

This page has instructions on how to stay safe during and after a nuclear explosion. It links to FEMA’s Be Prepared for a Nuclear Explosion information sheet, which is available in PDF form. It also includes a link to a preparedness video with hardcoded subtitles and American Sign Language (ASL) translation.

Translations of Radiological/Nuclear Emergency Messages from EPA and FEMA (zip file)

Pre-scripted radiological emergency message guides from EPA and FEMA have been translated into 29 languages to serve communities with limited English proficiency. The downloadable zip file contains individual documents in the following languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Farsi, French, French/Haitian Creole, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mon-Khmer – Cambodian, Panjabi, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, and Yiddish.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Annex N (Radiological) to Emergency Support Function #15 External Affairs

Annex N of this document details radiological incident communications strategies and actions, and provides a resource list for other communications tools available from the federal government. It includes pre-approved social media messages that are compatible with X and the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Radiation Emergency Communication Resources 

Resources that help explain complex radiation-related concepts. 

CDC’s Radiation Emergency Educational Videos

These videos describe protective actions that can be taken in a radiation emergency, the possible health effects of radiation exposure and contamination, and medical care that may be available.

CDC’s Radiation Emergency Infographics

This website contains infographics ranging across types of radiation emergencies to safety messages to medical countermeasures. The infographics are translated into many different languages.

Audience Research

  • Radiation Emergencies Public Health Roundtable: The Role of Poison Centers

  • Formative Research: IND Health Effects Message Testing with the General Public

  • Formative Research: IND Message Testing with the General Public

  • Media Message Testing: Detonation of Improvised Nuclear Device

  • Radiological Emergency Preparedness Communications Message Testing, Phase 1 Report. Executive Summary

  • Roundtable on Communicating Strategies For Addressing Radiation Emergencies and Other Public Health Crises, Summary Report

  • Roundtable on the Psychosocial Challenges Posed by a Radiological Terrorism Incident. Participants’ Comments, Ideas, and Recommendations. Summary Report

  • Roundtable on Partnering with Meteorologists for Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response. Summary Report

  • CDC National Prevention Information Network Public Reaction to the Information Related to Radiologic Terrorist Threats. Draft Final Report

  • Roundtable on Hospital Communications in a Mass Casualty Radiological Event. Participants’ Comments, Ideas, and Recommendations. Summary Report

  • Roundtable on the Identification of Emerging Strategies for Hospital Management of Mass Casualties from a Radiological Incident. Summary Report

  • NCEH/NPHIC Research Project Executive Summary

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Last updated on July 12, 2024
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