Explaining Protective Actions and Protective Action Guides (PAGs)

• Protective actions (protective action recommendations): "things to do"
• Actions taken to reduce or eliminate the public's exposure to radiation or other hazards following an RDD or IND incident
• In the early and intermediate phases of RDD/IND incidents there may be inadequate information to determine precisely the radiation levels or make dose projections.
• Initial protective actions may be undertaken based on models rather than actual measured radiation levels.
• Primary protective actions include sheltering-in-place, evacuation, relocation
• Secondary protective actions include medical countermeasure administration, decontamination, restrictions of food and/or water, soil guidance, access control, victim extraction
• Protective action guides (PAGs): "projected cumulative dose avoided by taking protective actions"
• Protective actions (see above) are designed to be taken before an anticipated PAG dose is reached
• Key federal PAG documents for radiation responses
• Prior PAG guidance: EPA Manual of Protective Action Guides and Protective Actions for Nuclear Incidents (PDF - 15.57 MB) (EPA 400-R-92_001, May 1992)
• Currently undergoing revision; originally designed to address commercial nuclear power plant disasters (EPA)
• Current guidance: Planning Guidance for Protection and Recovery Following Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) and Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Incidents (PDF - 394 KB) (DHS/FEMA, published in Federal Register, August 1, 2008, Z-RIN 1660-ZA02)
• Updates prior EPA guidance by including terrorism (RDD/IND) events and long-term clean-up activities.
• Dose guidance presented in this document will be incorporated without change into the latest (to be published) revision of the 1992 EPA Manual.
• Provides new late phase guidance
• Additional federal guidance is being prepared describing for planners specific actions unique to an IND, especially issues related to actions in high dose rate areas.