Radiation accident response drill held in Da Nang

Da Nang (VNA) – A drill on responding to radiation and nuclear accidents was held for the first time in Da Nang on October 7 to examine the central city’s capacity of dealing with similar incidents.

The exercise drew the participation of about 100 local police officers, medical workers and radiological technicians. It was also attended by representatives of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARNS), the municipal People’s Committee and the science and technology departments of some central provinces.

The simulation involved a pickup truck carrying two Ir-192 radioactive sources which collided with another truck moving in the opposite direction. The pickup’s driver and the guard lost consciousness in the accident.

After local residents informed the police about the accident and called an ambulance to tend to the injured, traffic police found that the radioactive sources fell out of the pickup.

The police swiftly notified the municipal Department of Science and Technology of the incident and asked the agency for assistance. At the same time, they sealed off the scene of the accident and rapidly moved local residents from the site.

After receiving the information, Da Nang’s steering board for radiation and nuclear incident response ordered relevant forces to handle the incident.

Medical and technical workers used protective equipment to bring the victims out of the scene and looked for the radiation sources. The radiation level at the site was measured and the sources were found and collected in line with technical process.

VARNS Director Vuong Huu Tan said the drill would help Da Nang to gain some lessons so as to adjust their response plan to the reality.-VNA