The National Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR) developed this guide as an introduction to screening travelers arriving at U.S. ports of entry (POE) who may be contaminated with or exposed to radioactive material following an international radiological incident. The information contained in this guide is intended to be used by state, local, and tribal public health professionals to supplement existing jurisdictional emergency operations plans and procedures during traveler screening activities. The guide is divided into sections that lead the planner or responder through the traveler screening process, beginning with consent and registration and ending with developing an optional long-term registry. Specific key communication messages are presented throughout the document in each response section.
This document aims to provide state, local, and tribal planners with guidance on how to:
- Screen, decontaminate, or provide medical follow-up and long-term follow-up for travelers, staff at U.S. international POE, and others with contamination or exposure.
- Communicate information and risk effectively with travelers, who may need urgent medical referrals, decontamination, or reassurance that they are not contaminated or exposed.
- Collect and use exposure and epidemiologic data to provide situational awareness and determine the radiological incident’s future public health impacts.
As an informational resource, planners may use this guide as a tool to develop and refine jurisdictional plans. The guide is designed to support scalable and flexible planning. This includes exploring and considering all locally-available resources along with traditional and non-traditional responder governmental and non-governmental agencies for collaboration and partnerships.