Tzong-Luen Wang, MD, PhD

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Abstract ---Nuclear and radiation events are special patterns of disasters. As the members of disaster medical assistance team (DMAT), it is still essential to have basic requirements to recognize and manage the situation although some other specialized agencies may be also involved. To treat the victims of the radiation exposure, either via nuclear detonations or via terrorism, the safety of the personnel is still the first priority. Because of possible limited equipment for detecting the severity of radiation exposure, some general rules to judge the situation by clinical evidences may be thus important. To establish such objectives, we have to emphasize the basic training for DMAT have to include the triage and management in the initial stage of radiation incidents. The most essential components include personal protection, the skills and knowledge of evacuation and sheltering, the clinical evaluation of severity, the key points on decontamination, and other modules of management. Hands-on practice, repeated tabletop drills and real field exercises are always required to accomplish the goal. On the other hand, familiarity with response plan and good inter-agency cooperation are still the crucial step to eliminate the hazards of such disasters.