When a radiological incident occurs, ambulances, police officers and fire fighters are often the first to reach the scene. Time is a critical factor in a radiological emergency and the actions taken by first responders in the minutes and hours following an incident can determine how minimal or extensive its impacts become.
By managing the medical response, allocating evacuation routes or securing forensic evidence, first responders have a unique role to play in protecting the public. In Cyprus, the IAEA has helped prepare first responders for radiological emergencies with precise skills and knowledge to effectively protect themselves, while responding to a crisis.
“Radiological emergencies can happen anywhere and can be triggered by different causes,” said Ramon De la Vega, an IAEA Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, to ambulance crew members taking part in a recently completed IAEA virtual training course. Assigned to their country’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), these first responders were instructed in the basic principles and best practices of radiation protection and emergency response over three, week-long sessions in January 2021.
“A prompt and effective response is essential to protecting the public against the hazard of radiation exposure stemming from these events. First responders play a key role in this response,” explained De la Vega.
A recently completed series, the IAEA-supported virtual training events were organized through a technical cooperation project and held in cooperation with the Cyprus Ambulance Service. Designed for ambulance crews working for the Cyprus Ambulance Service’s HART, the course covered the essential first steps in responding to a radiological emergency.