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4.2.8. Managing the medical response (A8 elements)
Response objectives:
(1) To ensure that medical practitioners or other responsible parties make appropriate notification and implement response actions after the
presentation (observation) of medical symptoms of radiation exposure or other effects indicating a possible radiological emergency (4.74).
(2) To provide appropriate specialized treatment to any person who receives a dose that could potentially result in severe deterministic health
effects (4.75).
(3) To detect any increase in the incidence of cancer among emergency workers and the public resulting from radiation exposure during a
radiation emergency and provide appropriate treatment (4.76).
A8 - MANAGING THE MEDICAL RESPONSE Threat category Responsibility
Elements I II III IV V O L N
A8.1 Arrange to make medical personnel, both general practitioners and emergency staff, aware of the
clinical symptoms of radiation exposure and of the appropriate notification procedures and other
immediate actions warranted if a radiological emergency is suspected (4.77).
This can be accomplished by distribution of information similar to the IAEA/WHO poster “How to
recognize and initially respond to an accidental radiation injury”.
A8.2 Arrange for treatment of a limited number of contaminated or overexposed workers, including
provisions for first aid, the estimation of doses, medical transport, and initial treatment of contaminated or
highly exposed individuals in local medical facilities (4.78).
Arrange to gather information needed to reconstruct the dose promptly following a serious exposure in
order to determine the course of treatment. This information should include: estimates of the dose
received to the whole body or tissues; photograph/diagrams of the facility/practice and activities
involved; a description of the source of exposure (e.g. activity, radionuclide, dose rate at 1 metre); a
detailed description of circumstances of the exposure (e.g. location of person as a function of time);
readings of all personal dosimeters (all staff members) or other monitoring devices; samples of items
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