Initial activities of a radiation emergency medical assistance team to Fukushima from Nagasaki

As an urgent response to serious radiological accidents in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the radiation emergency medical assistance team (REMAT) from Nagasaki University landed at Fukushima on March 14, 2011, two days after the initiation of radiation crisis by the hydrogen explosion at Unit-1 reactor. During a succession of unexpected disasters, REMAT members were involved in various activities for six days, such as setting the base for radiological triage at the Fukushima Medical University, considerations for administration of stable iodine, and risk communication with health care workers. This report briefly describes what happened around REMAT members and radiation doses measured during their activities.

► The radiation emergency medical assistance team from Nagasaki was sent to Fukushima.
► The practical action level for body surface contamination was 100 kcpm.
► The ambient radiation dose in Fukushima drastically elevated on March 15, 2011.
► Higher than 10 kBq of I-131, Cs-134, and Cs-137 were detected in soil samples.
► The effective dose of the team members ranged between 51.7 and 127.8 μSv in 6 days.