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Radiation Emergencies and Preparedness

Radiation Facts

If a radiation emergency occurs, take the following actions to protect yourself, your loved ones and your pets.

Get Inside, because walls and dirt can protect you from radiation.

Stay Inside for up to 24 hours, unless the authorities, like a police officer or firefighter have told you it is safe to leave.

Stay Tuned to local radio and television stations and official social media accounts for more information and instructions.

Radiation emergencies can be intentional acts designed to hurt others, like a terrorist attack, or they can be accidents that occur when using radioactive material. If a radiation emergency ever happens, it is important to remember to get inside a sturdy building, and into the basement or the innermost room, stay there for at least 24 hours, and stay tuned to the news, official social media accounts, or the radio.

On this page:
  • About Radiation Emergencies and Preparedness
  • What you can do
  • Where to learn more


About Radiation Emergencies and Preparedness

Radiation emergencies can be intentional acts designed to hurt others, like a terrorist attack, or they can be accidents that occur when using radioactive material. A nuclear power plant accident, nuclear explosion or a dirty bomb are examples of radiation emergencies.

Unintentional acts, or radiation accidents, can include:

  • Nuclear Power Plant Accident – An accident at a nuclear power plant could release radioactive material into the air or water around a nuclear power plant. The 1979 accident at Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant in Pennsylvania is an example of a nuclear power plant accident. Read more about the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) Three Mile Island incident fact sheet.
  • Transportation Accident – Radioactive materials are transported by sea, rail, roadway and air. Traffic accidents or other incidents could cause shipments to release radioactive materials. Very strict rules apply to transporting radioactive material during shipment. Because of this, radiation emergencies during the transportation of radioactive materials are extremely rare. Learn more about Transporting Radioactive Materials.

Intentional acts that use radioactive materials include:

  • Nuclear Weapons – A nuclear weapon is a device that uses a nuclear reaction to create an explosion. This explosion is much more powerful than that of conventional explosives (like TNT). When a nuclear weapon explodes, it gives off four types of energy: a blast wave, intense light, heat, and radiation. Nuclear weapons can be in the form of bombs or missiles. Some nuclear explosions produce fallout, a collection of radioactive material that can deposit on the ground, structures and buildings, or be carried by the wind. For example, during World War II, the United States used nuclear weapons against two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since 1945, no nuclear weapons have been used against another country.
  • Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) – An RDD, also known as a dirty bomb, uses a combination of explosives and radioactive materials to produce an explosion. Typically, the aim of this explosion is to spread radioactive materials into the surrounding area. Fortunately, no one has ever used a dirty bomb in an act of terrorism. Learn more about RDDs and dirty bombs at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s fact sheet.

For more information about types of radiation emergencies, see the Centers for Disease Control webpage on types of emergencies.

What You Can Do

During a radiation emergency, the main goal is to keep your exposure to radiation as low as possible. It’s important to listen for guidance on how to respond to keep you, your family and your pets safe.

Get Inside

Get Inside – During a radiation emergency, you may be asked to get inside a building and take shelter for a period of time. The walls of buildings can block much of the harmful radiation. More walls between you and the outside provides more protection, so good places to shelter include basements or rooms with no windows in the middle of your home. Because radioactive materials become weaker over time, staying inside for at least 24 hours can protect you and your family until public health or law enforcement officials tell you it is safe to leave the area.

Stay Inside

Stay Inside – Stay inside until you are told to leave by the police, fire department or government officials. While you are inside, you can take simple steps to remove any radioactive material that might be on your body. Take off your outer layer of clothing (like jackets and pants), gently wash your skin with water and put on clean clothes to remove radioactive material. Try to drink only unopened canned or bottled drinks and eat only packaged foods. Make sure to wash the packages before you consume food or drinks from them, in case radioactive material has settled on your food and drink packages.

Stay Tuned

Stay Tuned – Once you get inside, it will be important to stay tuned for updated instructions from emergency response officials. As officials learn more about the emergency, they will communicate the latest information and safety instructions to the public.

Television, radio, and social media are some examples of ways that you may receive important safety information.

Where to Learn More

Federal, state and local governments have plans and trained teams of people prepared to respond to radiation emergencies. The role of each federal agency is defined in the National Response Framework’s Nuclear/Radiological incident Annex (Nuc/Rad Annex).

State and Local Responders

State and local governments and emergency responders are responsible for making decisions regarding public safety for the people in their communities, including evacuation decisions, and food and water safety decisions.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the DHS has primary responsibility for ensuring that emergency responders are well prepared. The DHS coordinates the federal response in the case of an emergency that requires the response of many different federal agencies.

Radiological Dispersion Device
This webpage provides information on radiological dispersal devices or “dirty bombs.”

Nuclear Power Plants
Learn about ways to prepare in the case of a nuclear power plant emergency.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The EPA plans for and responds to radiological emergencies. The Agency works with other federal agencies and state and local responders to monitor and clean up radioactive material from radiological emergencies. The EPA also develops Protective Action Guides (PAGs) to help state and local responders make public safety decisions during radiation emergencies.

Protective Action Guides (PAGs)
On this webpage you can learn about the EPA’s PAGs, which help state and local authorities make public safety decisions during emergencies.

Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Responses
This site provides links to the EPA’s radiological emergency response information.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

The DOE leads the response when there is a nuclear or radiological release at a DOE facility or involving DOE materials. This could be while using, storing or shipping a variety of radioactive materials, or during the production, assembly, and shipment of nuclear weapons and special nuclear materials. The DOE also coordinates the collection and organization of radiation data related to radiation emergencies in the case of any nuclear emergency.

Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC)
This webpage provides an overview of the DOE’s data coordination role during radiological emergencies.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

The NRC is responsible for ensuring that each nuclear power plant in the United States has plans for responding to radiation emergencies. The NRC leads the federal response in the event of a radiation release from nuclear power plants and other types of NRC-regulated facilities. Many states have formal agreements with the NRC. These agreements give states the authority to license the use of radioactive material. States that have this agreement with the NRC are called Agreement States.

Directory of Agreement State and Non-Agreement State Directors and State Liaison Officers
On this webpage, you can find out whether your state is an Agreement State.

What Do I Do in a Nuclear Emergency?
This webpage gives directions about nuclear power plant emergency instructions.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

In the case of a large-scale radiological emergency, the CDC would help state and local authorities set up and maintain Radiation Testing Centers, which are designed to keep track of radiation exposure in an affected population.

Types of Radiation Emergencies 
This site provides information about different types of radiation emergencies and about how to protect yourself and your family.

CDC Radiation Thermometer Tool
Compare different doses of radiation using a helpful scale. This can help people assess their own risk in a radiation emergency.

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Last updated on December 5, 2022
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