Some years back I had heard of SOG's used by Southern California fire departments in regard to when to use radiological detection equipment. The concept is simple, and appropriate to share here on the FFN.
"ANY LARGE EXPLOSION, INCINDIARY DEVICE, LARGE COMMERCIAL BUILDING FIRE, OR OVERTURNED SEMI-TRUCK INITIATES PUTTING A RADIOLOGICAL DETECTOR INTO SERVICE TO CONFIRM OR DENY THE PRESENCE OF RADIOLOGICAL MATERIALS."
Do you have policies that address when to use radiological detection equipment? If you don't this sure is a good start!
We send the probies in! If they glow, we don't go in.
Honestly though, we are hard pressed to get funding for trivial things such as TICs, Rad counters would probably be considered luxuries. While we do not have a written SOG, an incident of this type would get a Hazmat response from the county. Our function would be limited to isolation and evacuation. Unless terrorists wanted to contaminate "Hooterville", our main threat would be low yield oil well logging pigs, and/or medical isotopes.
Permalink Reply by John on February 13, 2009 at 8:22am
I think if we have something like that I believe we call the Dayton Regional Hazmat Team, I would hope they have the necessary tools for just such a situation.