U.S., Russian Responders Train Together for Radiological Emergencies
Emergency responders from the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration trained with counterparts from the Russian Atomic Energy Agency (ROSATOM) Oct. 29-Nov. 2 for the first-ever joint radiological emergency response field training in St. Petersburg, Russia. Their week together covered the theory of radiation detection, detection equipment uses, and real-world responses to terrorism situations. Two mini-exercises were held to test responses to the dispersion of radioactive material, and the week ended with a full-day exercise, the American agency announced.
"This successful and productive event is another sign of increased cooperation between the United States and Russia," NNSA Associate Administrator for Emergency Operations Joseph Krol said. "Preparing for an emergency situation is critical to our efforts and we can both learn from each other's experiences in order to better protect the people and the environment in the event of a nuclear or radiological incident. We will continue working closely with our Russian partners in the important area of radiological emergency response."
The Bratislava Agreement on Nuclear Security, signed by Presidents Bush and Putin in 2005, committed the United States and Russia to cooperate on nuclear security efforts, including securing nuclear material and coordinating on emergency response efforts. Bilateral meetings, mutual equipment demonstrations, and joint exercises between NNSA and ROSATOM emergency responders preceded last week's training. Visit www.nnsa.doe.gov for more information.