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 intent of the Homeland Security Committee is to provide assistance to professionals and to member of the public in order to reduce the potential for the occurrence or to mitigate the effect of such an attack.

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

First Response (Information dealing with the hazards faced by the first response community in dealing with a radiological or nuclear attack)
Medical Response (Special needs of the medical community when dealing with radiological attack)
Training (Information and materials for training professionals and members of the public in responding to radiological attacks)
Nuclear Weapons (Information dealing with the radiation hazards involved in the use of nuclear weapons)
Dispersive Devices (Information about Radiological Dispersal Devices, such as "dirty bombs.")
Cleanup (Decontamination of areas affected by a nuclear explosion or dispersive device.)
Interdiction & Security (Methods and strategies that reduce the potential for the smuggling or illicit possession of nuclear or radiological devices.)

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 first 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 WMD
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.

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:

Thomas F. O'Connell
20 Maplewood Ave.
West Boylston, MA 01583
Tel: 978-567-3158
Fax: 978-567-3155
oconnelltom@netscape.net