Attachment B: Messages for Re-entry Messaging Following a Radiation Emergency
Message 1: How do we know it is safe to go back home?
Teams of federal, state and local radiation experts have gone through the area to measure radiation levels to make sure that it’s safe for you and your family to return.
The teams collected air, water, and soil samples to check for radioactive contamination.
The teams collected food products and drinking water to make sure that they are safe to consume.
The teams use specialized instruments to look for radioactive contamination.
These instruments are very sensitive and can detect contamination in the environment and in the food and water supply.
The teams also used airplanes and helicopters to fly over the area and measure radiation levels on the ground.
People can return to their homes if the additional radiation dose they will receive is below the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended level of 5 millisieverts (5 mSv) per year.
The measurements taken in the area show that levels are below the 5 mSv per year limit set by EPA.
To put this into perspective:
The average dose of radiation people receive from natural background sources, such as rocks, soil, air and space, is 3.6 mSv per year.
In comparison, you would get a dose of 10mSv from a CT (medical imaging) scan of your abdomen.
Message 2: What are the possible health effects from living in this area?
Living in an area with higher radiation levels may increase your risk of developing cancer.
However, the additional cancer risk from the radiation in this area is very small compared with the average cancer risk for people in the U.S.
People living in the U.S. have about a 40% chance of developing cancer.
A person’s lifestyle and environment can affect this rate, making it higher or lower than 40%.
Examples of lifestyle factors that can influence cancer risks include smoking, diet and exercise.
Examples of environmental factors that can influence cancer risks include exposure to chemicals and other pollutants.
People who decide to move back to this area will receive an additional radiation dose of 5 mSv per year.
After five years, the cancer risk for people living in this area will go up about 1%.
So, instead of having a 40% chance of developing cancer, people in this area will have a 41% chance of developing cancer.
Even though the increased cancer risk is small, health officials will continue to monitor people’s health in this area.
Message 3: What precautions can I take to protect the health of my family?
When returning home, health officials recommend taking some additional precautions to protect your health.
These precautions will decrease your chances of getting radioactive contamination inside your body.
Always wash your hands with soap and water before eating.
Wear a dust mask when mowing grass or doing other types of yard work that creates dust.
Shower after doing outdoor activities such as exercising or working outside.
Clean and bandage any cuts and scrapes.
How long will I have to take precautions to protect my family?
You may not need to take these precautions forever.
As time passes, contamination in the environment will “weather.”
This means it will get washed away, soak into the soil, or be absorbed by plants.
Radioactive contamination will also “decay.”
This means it loses energy over time and becomes less radioactive.
Radiation experts will continue to monitor the area and will let you know if there are any updates regarding these precautions.
Message 4: What precautions can I take to clean up the radioactive contamination in my house?
Some contamination from outside may have gotten into your house during the incident.
When you first return to your home, there are some simple ways to clean up the radioactive contamination in your house.
Start by vacuuming carpeting and furniture.
Wear a dust mask, because vacuum cleaners may not catch all the contamination.
If your vacuum cleaner has a bag, throw the bag away when you are done.
If your vacuum cleaner does not have a bag, take the vacuum outside to empty the canister into a garbage bag, throw the garbage bag away, and rinse out the vacuum cleaner canister.
Be sure to wear a mask while performing these steps.
Next, use a disposable mop to clean your floors, and wipe down countertops, tables, and other surfaces that dust may have settled on with damp paper towels.
Throw away the mop and paper towels when you are done.
Wash bedding and linens.
Finally, replace your air conditioning/heater filter, and dispose of the filter in the trash.
Be sure to wear a mask while performing this activity.
Your health department can test your home for contamination after you clean it.
Message 5: How do we know the food and water supply is safe?
Radiation experts are analyzing and monitoring food and drinking water samples to make sure they are safe for you and your family to consume.
These experts are also checking crops, livestock, wild game and fish to make sure these are safe to eat.
They are also checking milk and drinking water to make sure these are safe to drink.
Check with local agricultural authorities before:
Planting food crops or disturbing soil by plowing, tilling, or digging.
Eating any food grown in your own personal garden.
When you return home, food in sealed containers, such as cans, bottles, bags, or boxes, is safe to consume.
Check the expiration date to make sure the food has not gone bad.
Clean the outside of the packaging with a damp paper towel before opening.
Throw the paper towel away and wash your hands before eating.
Wash cookware and dishes prior to cooking or serving food with them.
Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Carera, Karen |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-22 |