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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Participation in Cobalt Magnet National-Level Radiological Exercise

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2023

Armin Ansari Open the ORCID record for Armin Ansari [Opens in a new window] ,
Adela Salame-Alfie  and
Stephanie Anne Dopson Open the ORCID record for Stephanie Anne Dopson [Opens in a new window]
Armin Ansari
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States
Adela Salame-Alfie
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States
Stephanie Anne Dopson*
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States
*
Corresponding author: Stephanie Anne Dopson; Email: sld9@cdc.gov.
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Abstract

Since September 11, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has increased efforts to prepare the agency and public health partners for response to potential nuclear/radiological disasters. During the week of May 16–20, 2022, the CDC participated in a national-level radiological emergency exercise, Cobalt Magnet 22 (CM22). The exercise scenario consisted of a notional, failed search mission for a radiological dispersal device (RDD, “dirty bomb”), followed by its explosion during a public event in a large US city. Testing radioanalytical laboratory capabilities during a nuclear/radiological incident was an exercise objective, and developing clear messaging on low-dose exposure and long-term health concerns was a primary output of the exercise. The CDC practiced its activation protocols, exercised the establishment of its updated Incident Management System structure for radiation emergencies, and identified critical staffing needs for this type of response.

Keywords

radiation effectspublic healthexercisenuclear attack
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e472
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health

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References

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