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POR IMHEDIATE RELEASE AEC PLANS NEW CENTER AT OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE Telephone No. - Area Code 615 Commission plans to establish a new multi-purpose facility here to develop medical expertise in the menagement of radiation exposure cases , it was announced today by R. J. Hart, Manager of t h e AEC's Oak Ridge Operations. The new facility would b e known as the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REACTS), and would be developed a8 part of a new construction project at the Oak Ridge Hospital of the Methodist Church. Hart said REACTS,as proposed, will provide a capability for the treatment of radiation accident cases, should the need arise, in the southeastern U. S.; conduct training courses on a National basis for emergency personnel inthe handling of radiation accident cases; and also serve as a center for contin u ing studies on human radiation exposure. I n announcing plans to establish REACTS, Hart said, "The facility will represent a unique combination of skills and modern, state-of-the-art equipment t o provide a model center for disseminating to the private sector, information w e have developed since the inception of the nuclear energy program." He added that, "The demonstrated spirit of cooperation between the Oak Ridge Hospital and the AEC will enable REACTS t o become a commmity asset for Oak Ridge, long recognized for its leadership in charting new courses inthe field of nuclear science." The REACTS facility will be established in a major new building addition Construction on the new hospital wing is expectedt othe Oak Ridge Hospital.
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to begin this month and be completed i n approximately 18 months. facility will occupy about 6,500 square feet of space inthe lower floor of the new addition and is expected to be available for initial use in early 1976. Under the proposed arrange m nt the AEC will pay approximately $450,000 tothe Hospital for costs of providing the REACTS facility in the Hospital addition, and will provide the necessary funds t o equip the facility. The combination treatment-training-study center will be operated for the AEC by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) which has conducted programs of medical research,education and training as a contractor organization under the AEC ' sOak Ridge Operations for the past27years. Establishment of REACTS will represent a major expansion of radiation accident treatment and training work previously performed 011 a smaller scale over the years by ORAU's Medical Division for the AEC. Lushbaugh, a member of the ORAU Medical Division staff and au internationally reco@zed specialist in radiation exposure cases, will serve as M rector of While REACTS will provide the most modern facilities presently available for handling radiation accident patients, such accidents inthe United States have been few and would be expected to remain low in nm ber in the future because of the excellent safety record established and maintained inthe nuclear energy program. For this reason, REACTS will focus principal attention on its training mission and radiation exposure studies. Specialized courses for physicians,health physicists and paramedical personnel will be provided on a routine basis. Each course will include an instruction on radiation detection and monitoring, radiation biology, and emergency procedures. REACTS will provide a major resource for AEC program on the epidemiologic aspects of human exposures to radiation.A couputerized data bank of human radiation effects resulting from both accidental and medical exposures on a world-wide basis has already been initiated and will serve as a basis for these
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studies which are considered important for assessment of biological effects of radiation in man. While the physical facilities of REACTS will not be completed until 1976, REACTS program are currently being planed and organized. A training course for physicians is being planned for the week of December 8, and will be available for physicians serving the Oak Ridge Hospital who may participate in program of REACTS in the future.