Welcome to the Health Physics Society Homeland Security Committee

Nuclear and radiological weapons may be used in terrorist attacks on the United States or other countries. The responsibility of the Homeland Security Committee is to provide assistance to professionals and to protect the public against a terrorist attack by weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) containing radiological and/or nuclear material.

The work of the HPS Homeland Security Committee involves the following areas of activity. These are organized as subcommittees:

• First Response 
• Medical Response
• Training
• Nuclear Weapons
• Dispersive Devices
• Cleanup
• Interdiction & Security

The committee also provides assistance to members and local chapters of the Society who wish to assist in the homeland security effort. For example, the subcommittees are active in:

• Preparing and updating training information and guidance documents for use by Society members and chapters to assist government programs and to train emergency responders.
• Implementing Society and chapter programs to provide trainers or speakers requested by homeland security agencies or teams.
• Preparing, with reference to previous publications of agencies or experts, appropriate information that can be recommended to members of the public for simple actions that may minimize exposure to harm and prevent panic in the event of an attack with WMDs.
• Providing guidance and assistance to chapters for organizing, developing, and implementing local or regional homeland security programs in cooperation with their state and local governments and agencies. 
• Assisting in the development of consensus standards and other guidance documents.

Guidelines for Mass Casualty Decontamination During a HAZMAT/Weapon of Mass Destruction Incident     New Guidelines!

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation  NEW!  Developed by the Homeland Security Council Interagency Policy Coordination Subcommittee for Preparedness & Repsonse to Radiological and Nuclear Threats

NPR program by Mike Shuster: Response Team Preps For Nuclear Terrorism Threat  

WORLD AT RISK  The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism   

Terrorism Response: A Checklist and Guide for Fire Chiefs   

Article by Richard Muller: Why a can of petrol is more dangerous than a dirty bomb

Partnership for a Secure America's Report: NUCLEAR TERRORISM- US Policies to Reduce The Threat of Nuclear Terror

Article: Resources for nuclear and radiation disaster response

From the Federal Register: Planning Guidance for Protection and Recovery Following Radiological  Dispersal Device (RDD) and Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Incidents

National Response Framework (NRF) Resource Center 

Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex 

Unless specifically asked to do so by the Board of Directors, the Homeland Security Committee does not speak or act officially for the Health Physics Society.

The Health Physics Society has a Media Center that can provide technical information.

The chair of the Homeland Security Committee is:

John Lanza, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAP
Florida Department of Health
Escambia County Health Department
1295 West Fairfield Drive
Pensacola, FL 32501
Office: 850-595-6557
Fax: 850-595-6745
Email: john_lanza@doh.state.fl.us

Committee members:

Ken Groves, '11
James Fyffe, '11      
James C. Hardeman, Jr. '10    
Brian Hearty, '10     
C. David Lovell, '09  
Roger P. Shaw, '09    
Richard T. Whitman, '09
Charles M. Wood, '11  
Ali A. Simpkins, Board Liaison