When people think of the mitten state, they
imagine our waterfalls, sand dunes, and picturesque
shorelines.
But even for a state as beautiful as this
one, disasters can strike at any time.
Fires, flooding, blizzards...
That’s when emergency responders come to
the rescue.
They may not wear a cape, but these are the
unsung heroes who put the public health and
safety above their own.
But what happens in the case of a nuclear
power plant accident?
For this, the state calls in the Michigan
REP Unit.
These experts advise decision makers on priority
evacuation and potential health effects.
When they get the call, the REP unit deploys
field teams who gather data from around the
affected plant to monitor the potential release
of radioactive materials.
These volunteers are an essential part of
the response team and must be highly trained
to perform their responsibilities quickly
in order to limit public exposure.
Immersive Training is essential in preparing
volunteers, but as you know, it isn’t easy
to simulate a nuclear disaster.
In the past, controllers used flip charts
to convey meter readings and other important
information during a radiological response
drill.
As technology advanced, REP began using computer
models and simulated dose rates during training.
Even so, trainees still could not experience
how the meters responded to radiation, leaving
a huge gap in their preparedness training.
Enter Teletrix, a computer program that uses
specific radiofrequencies to drive meters
to respond realistically to artificial “radiation.”
This technology revolutionizes nuclear emergency
response training, preparing responders to
react realistically in a real event.
Limiting exposure and accurate reporting are
priorities of the REP Unit.
When these goals are not met, it is usually
due to human error.
What if there was a way to eliminate that
risk?
Well, there is a solution!
Rad Responder collects data directly from
the meter and uploads it to the internet,
reducing the possibility of human error and
speeding up collection time.
This allows field teams to move in and out
of the radiological plume quickly while making
the information instantly available to dose
assessors for analysis.
Combined, Teletrix and RadResponder help improve
the safety of everyone affected in a nuclear
emergency.
This is where technology has taken us, but
can it take us further?
In the near future, we may be able to collect
dose assessment in real-time, streaming data
through the internet.
If these technologies were to become a standard
nation wide, decision makers could take protective
actions without delay.
Streaming data collection could also have
enormous impacts on post-plume dose reconstruction.
If these technologies become a standard nationwide,
we will see the advancement of better, quicker,
and safer radiological emergency response.
