Development of Policy & Methodology
SC&A helps federal, state, and local governments develop policies and
methods for responding to emergencies. This includes:
- Gathering data to inform decisionmaking
- Modeling potential exposures to chemical, biological, radiological,
and nuclear contaminants to support the selection of protective actions
- Facilitating or participating in groups exploring response-related issues
- Drafting and revising policy statements, protocols, methodologies,
and guidance documents
Sample Projects
- For CDC, SC&A conducted a literature search to determine the
potential for using activated charcoal to treat acute internal
exposure to radionuclides.
- For CDC, SC&A developed soil-to-plant transfer factors to help
policymakers decide when to allow non-food agricultural products to be
sold after a radiological incident.
- For a private client, SC&A evaluated the habitability of a nuclear
power plant control room after a chemical accident at a nearby
facility.
- For EPA, SC&A conducted a literature search and analysis to
estimate waste volumes and characteristics from the detonation of
radiological dispersal devices (“dirty bombs”).
- For EPA, SC&A wrote a white paper describing alternative recovery
strategies after a nuclear or radiological incident, determining the
appropriate time to return to evacuated areas and the safety of
eating and drinking water that was previously interdicted as a result
of a nuclear incident.
- For CDC, SC&A is studying the use of various common instruments
in identifying internal radiation exposure in members of the public
after a radiological event.
- For CDC, SC&A helped the International Atomic Energy Agency’s
Urban Remediation Working Group to improve the prediction of
radiation dose to humans for urban areas contaminated after detonation
of a radiological dispersal device.
- For EPA, SC&A revised the Protective Action Guidelines for nuclear
incidents to address contaminated water, use of potassium iodide as
a thyroid-blocking agent, and re-entry and recovery of areas following
a nuclear emergency.
- For NRC, SC&A performed a comprehensive value-impact analysis on
the use of potassium iodide to protect the general public in case of
a radiological release.
- For OSHA, SC&A developed draft guidelines for OSHA personnel and
first responders to use during the early phases of a radiological/nuclear
incident, before the arrival of radiation protection experts.
