Radiation Videos

Field Tests and Demonstrations



BEST/MATRR began our Community Radiation Monitoring Project aka Radiation Detectives in the fall of 2012 with a training session led by Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) director, Lou Zeller. Our local group has established 50 monitoring sites surrounding and downwind of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant in north Alabama, 28 miles west of Huntsville's city center; and we are increasing monitoring of Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant in Tennessee, which is about 18 miles north of Chattanooga.


Our group is fortunate to have a highly trained specialist in nuclear contamination and medical response, Garry Morgan, as our project director and monitoring trainer. Garry has assembled, utilized and maintained our equipment kits, and has expanded our methods over numerous field testing sessions, incorporating his training and studies of Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and State Radiation Health Control protocols.


Garry Morgan is also the group videographer and has carefully documented many of our monitoring efforts, which may prove helpful to those beginning their own monitoring projects. Garry offers in-the-field training for groups across the country, only charging for expenses, if you want to begin monitoring radiation in your area.


5/6/13

Gathering and Testing Soy Bean Samples – Oct 19-25, 2012



Oct 19, 2012 - BEST/MATRR member Stewart Horn acquired soy bean samples surrounding the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. One sample group north of the Browns Ferry Nuclear plant adjacent to the cooling towers on Shaw Road demonstrated an elevated count approximately twice that of background radiation.

UPDATE: Oct 25, 2012 - One sample out of the 6 soy beans taken demonstrated an elevated level in the whole plant structure. The plant and beans were dry. The elevated reading was near twice the background level, in my opinion not a sufficient elevated reading to cause concern but does warrant further investigation.

It was significant the elevated reading was from the field closest to the cooling towers. It was at this location where the second highest reading (4 times background) was acquired during a rain storm "rain-out event."

Dry beans were ground and tested from the whole plant group which demonstrated a higher reading - the dried, ground beans did not have an elevated level greater than background level. Beans not ground, but dry, did not exhibit an elevated level.

Apparently it is the "whole plant and root structure" which appears to retain some radiation. I will be performing further testing today on the soy beans 5 days post gathering of the samples.

Ground locations tested surrounding Browns Ferry during sunny and dry conditions exhibited radiation levels slightly elevated but no more than twice background level.

It is not possible to draw conclusions from our tests at this point as we need more data in varied weather conditions at different locations.

GARRY MORGAN
Project Director, Community Radiation Monitoring Program
BREDL/BEST/MATRR

Educational/Informational, non-profit Windows Media Video (WMV) production by Garry Morgan for BEST/MATRR. WMV system license for background music usage.