Radiac and civil defense

An essential element in any modern civil defense program is a radiological service, the principal function of which is the detection of radioactive contamination following the use of atomic weapons. As is the case with more conventional disaster emergencies, the medical, fire, and rescue units will have the greatest responsibilities in such an event, the radiological group being purely ancillary. The importance of the latter, while perhaps overemphasized in view of the properties of the “nominal” atomic bomb, still remains if for no other reason than the reassurance of the civilian population. Further, should radioactive warfare on a significant scale actually be employed, properly trained and equipped personnel could be very effective in minimizing casualties from that source. In this article the Bronx unit of the New York City Radiological Service (radiac) will be described, and it is hoped that this information may be of some assistance to physicists engaged in working with similar groups elsewhere.